Google, Meta executives push back against Canada online news bill
TORONTO听–听骋辞辞驳濒别听and听惭别迟补听would withdraw access to听苍别飞蝉听articles in听颁补苍补诲补听if legislation compelling internet companies to pay听苍别飞蝉听publishers is passed, company听别虫别肠耻迟颈惫别蝉听told Canadian lawmakers on Wednesday.
Canada‘s proposed legislation would force platforms like聽骋辞辞驳濒别听parent Alphabet Inc.聽and Facebook parent听惭别迟补听Platforms Inc.聽to negotiate commercial deals and pay Canadian听苍别飞蝉听publishers for their content, part of a broader global trend to make tech firms pay for听苍别飞蝉.
骋辞辞驳濒别听may be forced to remove links to听苍别飞蝉听articles found in Canadian search results if the听产颈濒濒听passes, its vice president of听苍别飞蝉听Richard Gingras said in testimony to a Senate committee, citing an “uncapped financial liability” if it had to pay publishers for linking to their sites.
惭别迟补听would also end the availability of听苍别飞蝉听content in听颁补苍补诲补听if the听产颈濒濒听is passed as currently drafted, said Rachel Curran, head of public policy for听惭别迟补听in听颁补苍补诲补.
Ottawa’s proposal is similar to a ground-breaking law that聽聽passed in 2021, which also triggered threats from聽骋辞辞驳濒别听and Facebook to curtail their services. Both eventually struck deals with Australian media companies after amendments to the legislation were offered.
This year,聽聽some Canadian users’ access to听苍别飞蝉听as a potential response to the legislation, a move Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called a “terrible mistake.”
骋辞辞驳濒别听last year linked to Canadian听苍别飞蝉听publishers more than 3.6听产颈濒濒ion times, Gingras said, helping those companies make money on ads and new subscriptions.
Curran said Facebook feeds sent Canadian publishers more than 1.9听产颈濒濒ion clicks in the 12 months ending April 2022, worth an estimated $230 million in free marketing.
“A framework that requires us to compensate publishers for links or听苍别飞蝉听content they voluntarily put on our platforms is unworkable,” Curran said.
The听产颈濒濒听introduced in April 2022 by Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez is the latest legislation aiming to make digital media platforms pay for linking听苍别飞蝉听content.
“All we’re asking the tech giants like Facebook and聽骋辞辞驳濒别听to do is negotiate fair deals with听苍别飞蝉听outlets when they profit from their work,” Heritage Ministry spokesperson Laura Scaffidi said. – Reuters
