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KOMPAS.com – Google announced it would block access to Canadian news content from search, news and discovery services.

The reason is that Canada has officially implemented the Online Information Act or what is known as Bill C-18. This law requires technology companies like Google to pay publishers/media when they want to display links (link) to a news item.

Google's decision is similar to Meta. Meta has decided to block news content shared on Facebook And Instagram in Canadian territory.

Also read: Indonesia prepares media law to encourage Facebook and Google to pay for news content

The policy has been seen as a form of rejection by companies of regulations that require them to pay for news content to media outlets or publishers.

Google: news links should be free on the Internet

Google opposes Canadian online news law. Google considers that the display of news links can be carried out by all parties free of charge on the internet, without it being necessary to remunerate the publisher.

Google calls this rule the “link tax”, that is, the tax on topical links, which is unnecessary and inconsistent with its business.

“So we've made the difficult decision that when the law comes into effect, we will remove links to Canadian news from our services like Search, News and DIScover,” Kent Walker, president of Google and Alphabet global affairs, wrote on Twitter . the official Google blog.

Apart from this, Google will also not operate the Google News Showcase program. This program was originally designed to help news organizations publish and promote their news online.

Also Read: Official Meta Blocks News Content on Canadian Facebook and Instagram

Media companies that are members of the Google News Showcase program will be compensated for the expertise of their journalists. Apart from this, investments are also planned to improve video journalism and develop subscription platforms.

On the Google blog, Kent Walker claims that the Google News Showcase program has actually brought benefits to 150 news publishers in Canada.

Last year, Walker said Google provided free links to Canadian news publications more than 3.6 billion times. This helps publishers earn money through advertising and new subscriptions.

“Traffic from Google news links accounts for 250 million Canadian dollars (around 2.83 trillion rupees) every year,” Walker said, compiling KompasTekno from the Google blog, Friday (6/30/2023)

Legal controversy over online news

Currently, a number of countries already have their own online information laws. For example, Canada with “Bill C-18”, Europe with “Neighboring Rights”, and Australia with the “News Media Code Gain Act”.

Indonesia is also preparing a similar law, titled “Publishers’ Rights.”

Generally speaking, the Online News Act requires technology companies to pay commissions to media companies for each news article appearing on Google services or shared on Facebook/Instagram.

Also read: Google responds to Indonesian government's plan to force digital platforms to pay for news content

Google and Meta are the two companies most opposed to the law. So they decided to block news content rather than having to pay.

This law on online information has also become controversial. On the one hand, this regulation pursues a noble objective: to protect media workers/editors. But on the other hand, this rule could violate the principle of the Internet, namely “free”. At least that's what Internet Society Foundation president Andrew Sullivan says.

“The reason the Internet is growing rapidly is because it allows for free interaction where people can share things as they wish and consume as they wish,” Sullivan said, as compiled by Gizmodo.

Sullivan went on to say that if people are forced into a contractual relationship (in this case, if Google/Facebook pays commissions to news publishers), then many people will not accept that agreement.

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