In response to Canada's proposed 'Online News Act', Meta Platforms is testing limitations on news content sharing on Facebook and Instagram for some users in Canada.
Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez, the bill's proponent, characterized these tests as "unacceptable." Speaking to Reuters, Rodriguez expressed his disdain, stating, "When a big tech company... tells us, 'If you don't do this or that, then I'm pulling the plug' – that's a threat. I've never done anything because I was afraid of a threat.
"We're briefly testing potential product responses to Bill C-18 that impact a tiny percentage of Canadian users. We run thousands of tests yearly to assess any potential changes to Search," a Google representative relayed in an email to Reuters. Google confirmed that these timed tests, impacting a random selection of less than 4% of Canadian users, "limit the visibility of Canadian and international news to varying degrees.
In response to Google's actions, a spokeswoman for Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez insisted that Canadians will not be intimidated. However, it was disappointing that Google appears to be taking a leaf fromAs tech giants continue to grapple with the implications of the proposed "Online News Act," the coming weeks will reveal the full extent of these tests' impact on Canadians' access to news content.
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