Ottawa will stop advertising on Facebook, Instagram amid news blocking row

Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez says the federal government will stop advertising on Facebook and Instagram.

The decision comes after Meta promised to block Canadian news content on its Facebook and Instagram platforms in response to Canada’s recently passed Online News Act.

The new law will require tech giants pay media outlets for content they share or otherwise repurpose on their platforms.

Rodriguez says the decision from Meta, which is already blocking content for some users as part of a test that began before the bill passed, is “unreasonable” and “irresponsible” and as a result Canada will stop advertising on their platforms.

Google has also promised to start blocking Canadian news when the bill comes into force in six months, but Rodriguez says the government is in talks with the company and believes their concerns will be managed by the regulations that will come to implement the bill.

Rodriguez was joined at a press conference today by MPs from both the Bloc Quebecois and the NDP, which both backed the legislation.