Google says it will remove news links in Canada because of the Liberal government’s new law forcing digital giants to compensate media outlets for content they share or otherwise repurpose online.
The company says its search engine will no longer carry news links when the Online News Act, formerly known as Bill C-18, comes into effect by the end of this year.
It will also remove news links from Google News, a personalized aggregator, and Google Discover, a mobile-phone feature that helps people find content online.
The tech company says it will end Google News Showcase in Canada, a product it uses to license news from over 150 local publishers.
Google says it has informed the Liberal government of its decision, which comes after Meta also said it would remove news from its social media platforms Facebook and Instagram before the law comes into force.
- Global News’ Dawna Friesen wins Canadian Screen Award for Best National News Anchor
- Quebec municipalities group calls government to address public transit underfunding
- N.B. to hold hearings on child protection system after advocate report on teen’s death
- Canada’s spy agency didn’t report potentially unlawful activity to feds: watchdog
Kent Walker, president of global affairs for Google and its parent company Alphabet, says he’s disappointed it has come to this point but that the legislation remains unworkable.
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.