After Australia, Canada vows to go after Facebook to pay for news

Canada has vowed to make Facebook Inc. pay for its news content, seeking allies in the media battle with tech giants and pledging not to back down even if social media shuts off the country’s news. Earlier this week, the social media giant blocked all news outlets in Australia after the country’s government proposed a new decree asking it pay to the journalists. Speaking about the same, Canadian Heritage minister Steven Guilbeault condemned Facebook's action.

Guilbeault, who has been given the colossal tasks of drafting similar legislature in the country stressed that Facebook’s blockage would not deter Canada. Speaking to reporters, he said, "Canada is at the forefront of this battle...we are really among the first group of countries around the world that are doing this." Now, Canada has two options, First to follow the Australian model, which would require media giants to pay to the news outlets. Another option is to follow the example of France, which requires large tech platforms to open talks with publishers seeking remuneration for use of news content.

Read: Australia PM Slams Facebook For News Blackout, Says It Is 'arrogant' And 'disappointing'

Read: Facebook Banned Its Own Page While Blocking Australians From Viewing And Sharing News

Facebook ban in Australia 

Facebook announced Thursday it has blocked Australians from viewing and sharing news on the platform because of proposed laws in the country to make digital giants pay for journalism. Australian publishers can continue to publish news content on Facebook, but links and posts can't be viewed or shared by Australian audiences, the US-based company said in a statement. Australian users cannot share Australian or international news. International users outside Australia also cannot share Australian news.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison meanwhile slammed social media giant Facebook for taking an unprecedented move of blocking news content out of its citizen's feeds in the country along with information of health and emergency services. From terming the dramatic escalation by Mark Zuckerberg’s company “arrogant” and “disappointing” to saying big tech giants “don’t run the world”, Morrison posted a length, furious statement on Facebook itself. Australian PM also said that he is in “regular contact” with the leaders of other countries on these issues. 

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Image: AP