this post was submitted on 02 Aug 2023
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Meta is so unwilling to pay for news under a new Canadian law that it's starting to block it on Facebook and Instagram in that country::The rollout of the news ban on Facebook and Instagram for users in Canada will take place over the next few weeks.

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[–] Yendor 70 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Facebook tried this in Australia, but backed down after a week, and now pay a significant amount to news organisations.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/News_Media_Bargaining_Code

Google and Facebook aren’t going to cut themselves out of such a big slice of interaction, they’re just throwing a tantrum and hoping the government caves.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The two laws really aren't the same. With the Australian law, a last minute amendment allowed digital platforms and news publishers to directly negotiate deals, which is when Facebook "backed down." The Canadian law imposes a specific link tax

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago

Oh it’s worse. They paid Rupert Murdoch who was the one who forced the government to do the law. He owns all their balls down under. So the bad guys won however you look at it.

[–] Enkers 32 points 1 year ago

Google has been fear-mongering hard about this law, which is why I'll have to assume it's actually a good thing. I think some enforcement of balance between journalists and the monolithic platform squeezing them is a step in the right direction, although there are some legitimate concerns about unintended consequences.

[–] [email protected] 28 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Canadian residents can access news online by going directly to news websites, using mobile news applications, and subscribing to preferred publishers.

Lol. Or you know. Lemmy!!

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago (3 children)

Or you know. Lemmy!!

Until Canada tries to enforce this law against Lemmy instances.

[–] matlag 8 points 1 year ago (2 children)

You mean like asking a fair share of Lemmy's instances ads revenues to be given to media companies?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago

thatsthejoke.jpg

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Sure, and non-profit digital radio stations will never need to pay for music streams.

No, we've been watching how this sort of nonsense plays out for decades. If what you want to do is not contemplated by the regulatory deal, then it'll end up illegal.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

I wish them luck with that!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That’s not how the law works.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

What exempts small sites?

Why do you think that loophole won't be closed in the future?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

The literal language of the law exempts small sites.

[–] jsveiga 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

but, but, then who will filter the news they're fed with, so that they only get exposed to opinions they "like", thus reinforcing whatever polarized view they have? Why would they want to access ANY news??

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

From what I've noticed, Facebook has been doing exactly the opposite for me. It shows me only the articles that will make my blood boil. And then it'll also preview only the comment that will make me rage the hardest, whether it's the most reacted to or not. It's a fucking rage generator.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 year ago

I would check Facebook more often than now (never) if it was just updates and pics from my friends and family. Right now Facebook is just shitty Reddit. Ban news for everyone Zuck!

[–] matlag 18 points 1 year ago

Meta is unwilling to pay for anything. They don't pay taxes on their benefits in Canada either, after having swallowed almost 100% of the online ads business. But they'll keep talking about how good for Canada and Canadians they are.

"They trust me. Dumb fucks!" -- Mark Zuckerberg

[–] CookieJarObserver 12 points 1 year ago

I mean thats probably a good thing anyway

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Individuals who only get news from social media may find less "respectable" news coverage and an increase in "news" from sources who rely on unsavory backers.

Which is to say: if Facebook won't pay for legitimate news coverage, misinformation will drown everything else out.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

I disagree. Those people were already being massively misinformed, and didn't click articles in the first place. All this means is next time a dipshit at work wants to argue with me I get to say "if it's on facebook it's entertainment not news".

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago

Wait, this article makes it sound like Meta would have to pay for other people posting links on Facebook to news websites. If that's the case, that's nuts. Are they gonna try doing this with Reddit and Lemmy too, or does it just apply to Facebook? Cause that's a great way to get Canadian news sites banned from everything on the entire net.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

Good for Canada. Being more aktiv and critical in reading and searching for news is good and way better than getting "presented" with the news Meta selectively wants you to see.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

Imagine being forced to make a better product.

That said, after the Threads position the actual story here is that Meta no longer thinks that the benefit of news outweighs the hassle. If it didn’t, they’d pay.

And they are likely right - AI + US election cycle news isn’t gonna be a net positive for them

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This will probably have no affect on Facebook’s profits but will definitely result in a big drop in traffic to the news sites, ultimately costing them money.

Same thing happened in Spain. Not sure why Canada thought it’d go differently for them.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Same happened in Australia but Facebook backed down

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Not exactly…

Australia agreed to amend the law to make it much more favorable to Facebook. In essence, Facebook and Australia compromise.

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/feb/23/facebook-reverses-australia-news-ban-after-government-makes-media-code-amendments

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

Less click bait range exposure? That's be actually good for people.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

Such good news :) Trash took itself out .

[–] [email protected] -4 points 1 year ago

And everyone I know will still continue to use fucking Facebook. Zuckerbot could rape their children in front of them and they'd be posting pics of it as it happens.