In response to Canada's Bill C-18, which requires tech giants like Meta and Google to share revenue with Canadian news outlets for content posted on their platforms, Meta's decision to block news content on its platforms has sparked controversy.
While Meta has taken this step, Google has not yet followed suit. The Canadian Association of Broadcasters and News Media Canada have jointly issued a statement asserting that Meta's actions are aimed at restricting Canadian news companies' access to advertising markets and diminishing their visibility on social media channels.
They argue that this behavior aligns with Meta's global reputation for anticompetitive practices. They fear that such conduct could further consolidate Meta's dominance in advertising and social media distribution, leading to detrimental effects on Canadian journalism.
In light of these concerns, the Canadian media groups are urging the Competition Bureau, an independent regulatory authority responsible for ensuring fair competition, to initiate an investigation into Meta's actions.
They are requesting the bureau's intervention to prevent Meta from continuing to block Canadians' access to news content on social media. The Competition Bureau's recent success in imposing a significant fine on Canada Bread for price fixing demonstrates its authority and capability to address anticompetitive behaviors in the market.
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