SASKATCHEWAN – For the past year, Canadians have not been able to share any news links through any social media sites under the Meta name due to the Online News Act. This meant anyone who stayed connected to current events via Facebook, Instagram, Threads and WhatsApp were no longer going to see the news.
The Online News Act was established to ensure that dominant platforms, such as search engines and social media sites, compensated news businesses fairly and received Royal Assent on June 22, 2023. With online advertising revenues reaching $14 billion in 2022, many of the news outlets were losing a large part of advertising revenue.
At the time of the bill being passed, Meta said the company was conducting tests on ending news access for a small percentage of Canadians. Their findings concluded between one and five per cent of the 24 million Canadians who use Facebook and Instagram would be affected.
The Online News Act not only cut off ties to major news outlets such as CTV and CBC, but it also affected many print editions such as newspapers. Throughout the nation, many local newspaper outlets have closed. Between the online gag-order and pricing increases, many publications, both large and small, have had to increase prices, decrease print editions and lay off staff over the past year. But how is the ban affecting the general population?
Members of the public were asked if they miss having the information at their fingertips through the social media platforms. There were a few people who reminded us that society was able to stay connected without the use of social media.
“Download news apps, buy the paper, turn on the television or radio,” they said.
One woman says she prefers going to the actual news sites online.
“Facebook is nice for keeping up with friends, but [I] don’t believe anything “newsy” on it,” she added.
While some people miss having their news available through social media, others were fine with only some platforms showcasing current events.
“I don’t get any news now unless it’s on TikTok. I think it’s way better for my mental health [to be honest],” said another woman.
For those who enjoy news publications from other countries like the United States or the United Kingdom, having access on Facebook or Instagram is no longer allowed. For one man, he finds it frustrating.
“Generally, it annoys me when I try to follow a news link on Meta products. I get my news/commentary from a couple of traditional publication apps, like the New York Times or The Telegraph, podcasts and commentary pieces from a few legitimate outlets/writers,” he said.
While reliable news sources seem to still be a topic for debate, it was evident that half of the public was fine with limited news while the other half finds it frustrating to not be able to share important information.
