Canada is strongly condemning a move by Facebook to turn off the news taps to Australia..Facebook announced this week it has blocked Australians from viewing and sharing all news on its platform because of proposed laws to make companies like it and Google pay an effective tax to media companies when users share their content. .It is the same bailout model that big Canadian mainstream media companies are demanding from Ottawa..Under the new Facebook policy, Australian web surfers can no longer share content from domestic or international news sources. In other parts of the world, users can’t share news from Australian sources..Canadian Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault said the actions are putting public safety at risk because the ban led to the temporary shutdown of pages run by government agencies, including a suicide-prevention service and a fire-and-rescue organization..Guilbeault said Canada is unmoved and will continue with legislation requiring social-media platforms fund news..“I must condemn what Facebook is doing,” he said..“I think what Facebook is doing in Australia is highly irresponsible and compromises the safety of many Australian people.”.He noted Canada has joined other countries in the battle against social media giants..“I’m a bit curious to see what Facebook’s response will be. Is Facebook going to cut ties with Germany, with France, with Canada, with Australia and other countries that will join? At a certain point, Facebook’s position will be completely untenable,” he said..NDP MP Alexandre Boulerice proposed a motion to condemn Facebook’s decision in Australia but it failed to receive unanimous consent..Facebooks move came three days before the country is to launch a massive COVID-19 vaccination program..“It has left us facing a stark choice: attempt to comply with a law that ignores the realities of this relationship, or stop allowing news content on our services in Australia. With a heavy heart, we are choosing the latter,” Facebook regional managing director William Easton said..Google has threatened to remove its search engine from Australia, but they have signed one deal with an Australian media corporation..Most mainstream media newspapers across Canada went to press earlier with nothing on their front pages – part of a campaign asking the federal government to start taxing Google and Facebook and pass the revenue on to them. Postmedia newspapers and the Toronto Star all went without pictures or headlines on their front page..The Western Standard did not participate in the demand for more government money. In place of low-value Google Ads, the Western Standard is moving to sell ad placements directly to businesses and non-profits..Canadian mainstream media outlets have been the recipients of $600 million in federal Liberal handouts since 2018..The Western Standard refuses to accept the federal media bailout..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.Twitter.com/nobby7694
Canada is strongly condemning a move by Facebook to turn off the news taps to Australia..Facebook announced this week it has blocked Australians from viewing and sharing all news on its platform because of proposed laws to make companies like it and Google pay an effective tax to media companies when users share their content. .It is the same bailout model that big Canadian mainstream media companies are demanding from Ottawa..Under the new Facebook policy, Australian web surfers can no longer share content from domestic or international news sources. In other parts of the world, users can’t share news from Australian sources..Canadian Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault said the actions are putting public safety at risk because the ban led to the temporary shutdown of pages run by government agencies, including a suicide-prevention service and a fire-and-rescue organization..Guilbeault said Canada is unmoved and will continue with legislation requiring social-media platforms fund news..“I must condemn what Facebook is doing,” he said..“I think what Facebook is doing in Australia is highly irresponsible and compromises the safety of many Australian people.”.He noted Canada has joined other countries in the battle against social media giants..“I’m a bit curious to see what Facebook’s response will be. Is Facebook going to cut ties with Germany, with France, with Canada, with Australia and other countries that will join? At a certain point, Facebook’s position will be completely untenable,” he said..NDP MP Alexandre Boulerice proposed a motion to condemn Facebook’s decision in Australia but it failed to receive unanimous consent..Facebooks move came three days before the country is to launch a massive COVID-19 vaccination program..“It has left us facing a stark choice: attempt to comply with a law that ignores the realities of this relationship, or stop allowing news content on our services in Australia. With a heavy heart, we are choosing the latter,” Facebook regional managing director William Easton said..Google has threatened to remove its search engine from Australia, but they have signed one deal with an Australian media corporation..Most mainstream media newspapers across Canada went to press earlier with nothing on their front pages – part of a campaign asking the federal government to start taxing Google and Facebook and pass the revenue on to them. Postmedia newspapers and the Toronto Star all went without pictures or headlines on their front page..The Western Standard did not participate in the demand for more government money. In place of low-value Google Ads, the Western Standard is moving to sell ad placements directly to businesses and non-profits..Canadian mainstream media outlets have been the recipients of $600 million in federal Liberal handouts since 2018..The Western Standard refuses to accept the federal media bailout..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com.Twitter.com/nobby7694
