Local journalism is the power and voice of every region. It has its importance on the ground level as well as higher. Many countries like Australia, France, and India have their own set of laws for their local journalists. Be it for their safety, their expenses, or their privacy. Canada stands in line proudly as it changes its local journalism laws that force tech giants to pay for content for local media.
The Online News Act, or Bill C-18, mandates tech companies to pay for the content they get from local or domestic media outlets.
The Law
The Online News Act creates greater justice to maintain the viability of the news industry by leveling the playing field between news organizations and significant internet platforms.
“A free and independent press is fundamental to our democracy. Thanks to the Online News Act, newsrooms across the country will now be able to negotiate fairly for compensation when their work appears on the biggest digital platforms. It levels the playing field by putting the power of big tech in check and ensuring that even our smallest news business can benefit through this regime and receive fair compensation for their work.” —Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage
More Such Laws
France will pay publishers and news organizations for using their news.
The first US state to examine such a plan, California lawmakers earlier this month filed a bipartisan measure forcing digital platforms to pay news publishers for the information they carry.
It would be necessary for online platforms to have at least 50 million US monthly active users, 1 billion active users globally, or US yearly net revenues or market cap if the proposal were to be adopted by the state senate and become law. To pay accredited media organizations about $550 billion to host their material.
Replies and Reactions
In reaction to laws that would force internet behemoths to compensate news publishers, Meta intends to block access to news on Facebook and Instagram in Canada.
“We are confirming that news availability will be ended on Facebook and Instagram for all users in Canada before the Online News Act (Bill C-18) takes effect,” Meta said in a blog post. “We have repeatedly shared that to comply with Bill C-18, content from news outlets, including news publishers and broadcasters, will no longer be available to people accessing our platforms in Canada.”
