Facebook and Instagram start blocking local and international news in Canada Page all

KOMPAS.com – Official meta starts blocking all content news In Facebook And Instagram specifically for Canada starting August 1, 2023. This way, citizens living in Canada will not be able to read news on Meta's two social media platforms.

Blocking news content in Canada, this is done as a form of meta-rejection of the law News Online (Online Information Act) or known as Bill C-18. This rule requires Meta to pay media outlets or publishers for news content shared on the platform.

A number of Canadian journalists reported that their news content was no longer accessible in Canada as of the morning of August 1. One of them was reported by Anna Mary Mckenzie, a journalist at local media IndigiNews.

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In a thread on Platform X (formerly Twitter), Mckenzie reported that he could no longer display news content on feeds itself neither stories Instagram account @IndigiNews.

In the screenshot shared by Mckenzie, the account belonging to a media company with 14,000 followers is completely dark, with no content showing, whether in the newsfeed, Instagram stories, or posts. highlights.

On the feed page, information is written as follows: “People in Canada cannot see this content. In response to Canadian government legislation, news content cannot be viewed in Canada. Learn more. » (People in Canada cannot view this content. In response to Canadian government regulations, news content cannot be viewed in Canada. Learn more).

For Mckenzie, this incident scared her very much. Because Meta does not hesitate to block information content in Canada, even if the regulations of Bill C-18 are not yet fully in force.

“My heart is broken because I worked so hard on two stories last week, (but now) Canadians can't access them,” Mckenzie wrote via the @legally_cree account.

Not only on Instagram, Canadians can't read news on Facebook either. In the experience of local Canadian Sarnia Journal reporter Tara Jeffrey, she was able to share news articles about missing people on Facebook.

However, after sharing it, Jeffrey received information stating “your content has been shared but cannot be viewed in Canada. Learn more.” (your content is shared but cannot be viewed in Canada. Learn more).

This means that even if this information is shared, Canadians will not be able to read the missing persons stories they create.

“I think the worst part about receiving this message today is the fact that it came after we published a story about a missing woman in Sarnia. It's not just the news organizations that will suffer. It’s the whole community,” Jeffrey told X.

International information is also blocked in Canada

Freepik.com/Pikisuperstar News illustration

Not only Canadian local news but also media news is also not accessible to Facebook and Instagram users in Canada.

This is because the link (link) to international news content shared by users are also blocked.

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For example, if a Canadian is friends with someone who lives in Indonesia. This friend from Indonesia shared link on Facebook leading to the article KompasTekno This. Well, his friend in Canada won't be able to see him.

The policy for blocking news content from Canada and outside Canada (international) was detailed in the article entitled “Changes to the availability of news on our platforms in Canada” which was published on the Meta Newsroom page published on August 1.

On these pages, the impact for Canadian media is that news links and content published by publishers and news broadcasters in Canada will no longer be visible to people in Canada.

Although the impact will be felt on international news companies, news publishers and broadcasters outside of Canada will continue to be able to publish links and news content. However, the content cannot be viewed by people in Canada.

With this blockage, Canadians will have to accept the fate that they will no longer be able to view or share news content on Facebook and Instagram, including news articles and audiovisual content published by the media.

Finally, Meta said, Facebook and Instagram users outside of Canada can still access news content as usual, as compiled. KompasTekno Since page Meta-newsroomWednesday (02/8/2023).

Indonesia prepares regulation on publishers' rights

Similar to the Online News Act or known as Bill C-18, Indonesia is also preparing regulations on publishers' rights.

With this regulation, platforms such as Google and Facebook (Meta) will be required to collaborate with media companies in the country. Collaboration can take the form of material, such as advertising revenue sharing, compensation or remuneration, or cooperation in other forms that are not material, such as training.

This draft regulation in the form of a Presidential Regulation (Perpres) was initially scheduled to be completed in March 2023. However, as of July 2023, the Regulation on Publishers' Rights has not yet been officially ratified.


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Felicia Slater

"Unapologetic travel lover. Friendly web nerd. Typical creator. Lifelong bacon fanatic. Devoted food enthusiast. Wannabe tv maven."

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