Meta’s blocking of Canadian news on its social media sites, Facebook and Instagram, poses serious problems for Canadian media. Outlets that rely on social media to reach their target audiences will likely struggle to get by. However, the problem also creates an opportunity to rethink communication funding in Canada.
Pablo Rodriguez, then Heritage Minister, was right when he said the Online News Act is about correcting “market imbalance” between Canadian news outlets and Silicon Valley tech companies. Canadian news organizations should be compensated by the social media platforms for content.
Add this conundrum to the over-reliance on American telecommunications services, and the need to rethink funding Canadian communication is urgent.
