We are not going Anywhere! Facebook and Instagram censoring news sources on their platforms

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

Yes. The day has come! The government has finally found another way to censor the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper. For our followers on Facebook, and Instagram, if you have not been seeing our posts, there is a reason for it.

Last year, Facebook parent Meta said that it was looking to stop Canadians from sharing news content in response to the country’s proposed Online Sharing Act. Now, the company has announced that it will begin tests on Facebook and Instagram that limit some users and publishers from viewing or sharing some news content in Canada. The testing has been taking place over several weeks and they say that a “small percentage” of users affected will be notified if they try to share news content.

Last week, I was trying to tag the Toronto Caribbean Newspaper in a post on Facebook, and realized quickly that I was not able to. I tried to type the entire word and they wouldn’t let me tag us. Hmmmm!

Facebook and Instagram’s parent company Meta says it will end access to news on its platforms in Canada after that country’s parliament passed legislation requiring internet giants to pay publishers. The law will force the social media companies to negotiate commercial deals with news outlets and pay for news content.

“We have repeatedly shared that in order to comply [with the new law] … content from news outlets, including news publishers and broadcasters, will no longer be available to people accessing our platforms in Canada,” said Meta spokesman Scott Reid.

The law, also known as Bill C-18, was introduced by the ruling Liberal government earlier this year. Modeled after a similar Australian law. In February 2021, the Australian law made it mandatory for companies like Google and Facebook to pay for news they use.

Facebook blocked publishers and users from sharing news links in Australia in response to the proposed law. The social network also mistakenly prevented government agencies and non-profits from posting on their pages in the process, but it reversed their ban a few hours later. Days later, Facebook agreed to talk to and enter negotiations with Australian officials.

What Bill C-18 is doing is forcing internet platforms like Facebook into revenue-sharing partnerships with local news organizations. It came about, in part, because of Facebook and Google’s dominance of the online advertising market — with both companies’ combined taking 80% of revenue.

Let’s be real, the Online News Act is a fundamentally flawed legislation that ignores the realities of how social media platforms work, the preferences of the people who use them, and the value they provide news publishers.

Last year, Meta said it was trying to be “Transparent about the possibility that we may be forced to consider whether we continue to allow the sharing of news content in Canada.” Google also temporarily blocked some Canadian users from seeing news content. The trial blocks news for up to 5% of its Canadian users.

Facebook has been signaling its willingness to remove news from its platform for weeks, and why, you ask? Well, the company says news has no economic value and its users do not use the platform to access news.

Oh really! How convenient! This is what is happening behind the scenes while they are keeping us distracted with forest fires, coronations, and all the other nonsense that is online that has no economic value.

Don’t you worry readers; we have something in store for them. The Toronto Caribbean Newspaper will not back down, we will not stop speaking the truth. You can find us at your local Caribbean grocery store, restaurant, or bar.

We are not going anywhere!