Canada’s Bill C-18 has passed into law, requiring compensation deals to be struck between tech companies and news organizations if they want to host links to Canadian news content. This is a framework that Google and Meta have rejected, both stating they will instead be blocking Canadian news content.
But what does this bill, and the responses from the tech giants, actually mean for Canadians?
In brief, C-18 means Canadians may no longer see local news in the places they normally check online, such as social media and Google, and will have to seek it out elsewhere to stay informed of the blocked content.
What is Bill C-18?
Bill C-18, or the Online News Act, lays out a framework that would require digital giants such as Google and Meta to develop deals with Canadian news sites for previewing and sharing their online news content.
“The Bill introduces a new bargaining framework intended to support news businesses to secure fair compensation when their news content is made available by dominant digital news intermediaries and generates economic gain,” an explanatory note from the government says. “It seeks to support balanced negotiations between the businesses that operate dominant digital news intermediaries and the businesses responsible for the news outlets that produce this news content.”
Who does Bill C-18 affect?
The bill requires tech companies to compensate Canadian news organizations when their content appears on their platforms. The federal government says the bill is to help the Canadian news industry, which has seen falling subscriptions and ad revenue overtime as those profits shift to Google and Facebook.
According to an Angus Reid report released earlier this month, 85 per cent of Canadians do not pay for any online news subscription, and Canadians under the age of 64 usually check social media sites such as Facebook and Reddit first to get their news.
According to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, which provides economic and financial analysis to the government as an independent body, the bill would shift around $329 million to the Canadian news industry.
When does Bill C-18 go into effect?
The bill became law in June 2023. The effective date is unclear; however, it is expected to come into force in the next six months.
How have tech giants reacted?
Both Google and Meta – the company behind Facebook and Instagram – have stated that they will be removing links to Canadian news from their platforms in response to the law, before the end of the year.
Meanwhile, Google called the bill a “link tax,” saying that it “breaks the way the web and search engines have worked for more than 30 years.”
Where will news be blocked?
Links to Canadian news platforms will not be shared on Google, Facebook or Instagram when Bill C-18 comes into effect.
According to a statement from Google on June 29, links to Canadian news will be removed from its Search, News and Discover products.
The company noted that this won’t apply to its SOS Alerts, which connect Google users to the most relevant safety information in the event of a crisis such as a forest fire, flood or earthquake.
Meta stated in an update posted on June 22 that news availability would be ending on its sites for all users in Canada “prior to the Online News Act (Bill C-18) taking effect”.
Which news organizations are impacted?
While it’s common sense that publications that make the delivery of news their main focus will be affected by Google and Meta blocking their content, the limits of what counts as a news website in the eyes of this new law isn’t completely clear yet.
Google notes that it will not be hosting links to content that has been defined as an “eligible news business” by Bill C-18.
The legislation states that news businesses are considered eligible as long as they fall under certain requirements, including:
producing news content of “public interest”;
employing two or more journalists in Canada;
operating in Canada; and
following the code of ethics of a recognized journalistic association or its own code of ethics that aligns with journalistic integrity.
An eligible news business also must produce news content “that is not primarily focused on a particular topic such as industry-specific news, sports, recreation, arts, lifestyle or entertainment,” according to Bill C-18, suggesting that lifestyle magazines and similar publications may not be affected by Google and Meta blocks.
Does this mean Canadians won’t have access to news websites at all?
Many people head straight to Google when they want to find out what is going on in the world, but a Google search isn’t the most direct way to find your news.
Canadians will still be able to access Canadian news sources by navigating directly to their websites.
Google itself recommends Canadians “visit their preferred news outlets’ websites directly – or download their app – and sign up for newsletters or subscriptions so that they can stay up to date with the latest news directly from the sources that matter most to them.”
Bookmarking your most frequently visited news websites now will allow you to navigate to them quickly even if their links are not being shared when you search a topic on Google.
Canadians will also still be able to see news from international news sources through Google.
How do I know if my news is being blocked?
In order to tell if news links are being blocked for you, simply go to the Google search engine and type in search terms connected to Canada, such as “Ottawa” or “Trudeau” and then click on Google’s “News” tab. If mostly news sources from the U.S. pop up, you’re likely among the users who are not being shown links to Canadian news outlets.
What are supporters saying about Bill C-18?
Supporters of the Liberal government’s bill say that it is a way to keep tech giants in check and cut into their digital dominance, and that journalists should be compensated for their work being used to help tech giants bring in more eyes and thus more ad revenue.
“Around 500 newsrooms closed their doors across the country… and they will continue closing their doors,” Rodriguez said. “The status quo is not working because the money is going to the tech giants.”
Last year, Meta made more than US$23 billion in profit while Alphabet, Google’s parent company, made close to US$60 billion.
A recent survey from the Angus Reid Institute suggested that 82 per cent of Canadians agree “too few tech companies have too much power over the internet.”
However, 63 per cent are worried about losing access to Canadian news on Facebook and Google.
What is the criticism of Bill C-18?
Some critics are concerned that Google and Meta blocking news links from Canadian news sources will lead to a drop in media literacy.
Tech and cybersecurity expert Ritesh Kotak told CTV News Channel in late June that the removal of news from Google and Meta’s platforms could lead users to rely on unverified stories, making “deciphering fact from fiction” that much more difficult.
“This is a serious problem for news organizations and also members of the public,” he said, adding that news outlets should do more to promote their own platforms.
Montreal Alouettes wide receiver Tyson Philpot has announced he will be out for the rest of the CFL season.
The Delta, B.C., native posted the news on his Instagram page Thursday.
“To Be Continued. Shoutout my team, the fans of the CFL and the whole city of Montreal! I can’t wait to be back healthy and write this next chapter in 2025,” the statement read.
Philpot, 24, injured his foot in a 33-23 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Aug. 10 and was placed on the six-game injured list the next week.
The six-foot-one, 195-pound receiver had 58 receptions, 779 yards and five touchdowns in nine games for the league-leading Alouettes in his third season.
Philpot scored the game-winning touchdown in Montreal’s Grey Cup win last season to punctuate a six-reception, 63-yard performance.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sustained a concussion for the third time in his NFL career, leaving his team’s game Thursday night against Buffalo after running into defensive back Damar Hamlin and hitting the back of his head against the turf.
Tagovailoa remained down for about two minutes before getting to his feet and walking to the sideline after the play in the third quarter. He made his way to the tunnel not long afterward, looking into the stands before smiling and departing toward the locker room.
The Dolphins needed almost no time before announcing it was a concussion. The team said he had two during the 2022 season, and Tagovailoa was diagnosed with another concussion when he was a college player at Alabama.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa would get “proper procedural evaluation” and “appropriate care” on Friday.
“The furthest thing from my mind is, ‘What is the timeline?’ We just need to evaluate and just worry about my teammate, like the rest of the guys are,” McDaniel said. “We’ll get more information tomorrow and take it day by day from here.”
Some players saw Tagovailoa in the locker room after the game and said they were encouraged. Tagovailoa spoke with some players and then went home after the game, McDaniel said.
“I have a lot of love for Tua, built a great relationship with him,” said quarterback Skylar Thompson, who replaced Tagovailoa after the injury. “You care about the person more than the player and everybody in the organization would say the same thing. Just really praying for Tua and hopefully everything will come out all right.”
Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212 million extension before this season — a deal that makes him one of the highest-paid players in the NFL — and was the NFL’s leading passer in Week 1 this season. Tagovailoa left with the Dolphins trailing 31-10, and that was the final score.
“If you know Tua outside of football, you can’t help but feel for him,” Bills quarterback Josh Allen said on Amazon following the game. “He’s a great football player but he’s an even greater human being. He’s one of the best humans on the planet. I’ve got a lot of love for him and I’m just praying for him and his family, hoping everything’s OK. But it’s tough, man. This game of football that we play, it’s got its highs and it’s got its lows — and this is one of the lows.”
Tagovailoa’s college years and first three NFL seasons were marred by injury, though he positioned himself for a big pay bump with an injury-free and productive 2023 as he led the Dolphins into the playoffs. He threw for 29 touchdowns and a league-best 4,624 yards last year.
When, or if, he can come back this season is anyone’s guess. Tagovailoa said in April 2023 that the concussions he had in the 2022 season left him contemplating his playing future. “I think I considered it for a time,” he said then, when asked if he considered stepping away from the game to protect himself.
McDaniel said it’s not his place to say if Tagovailoa should return to football. “He’ll be evaluated and we’ll have conversations and progress as appropriate,” McDaniel said.
Tagovailoa was hurt Thursday on a fourth-down keeper with about 4:30 left in the third. He went straight ahead into Hamlin and did not slide, leading with his right shoulder instead.
Hamlin was the player who suffered a cardiac arrest after making a tackle during a Monday night game in January 2023 at Cincinnati, causing the NFL to suspend a pivotal game that quickly lost significance in the aftermath of a scary scene that unfolded in front of a national television audience.
Tagovailoa wound up on his back, both his hands in the air and Bills players immediately pointed at him as if to suggest there was an injury. Dolphins center Aaron Brewer quickly did the same, waving to the sideline.
Tagovailoa appeared to be making a fist with his right hand as he lay on the ground. It was movement consistent with something that is referred to as the “fencing response,” which can be common after a traumatic brain injury.
Tagovailoa eventually got to his feet. McDaniel grabbed the side of his quarterback’s head and gave him a kiss on the cheek as Tagovailoa departed. Thompson came into the game to take Tagovailoa’s spot.
“I love Tua on and off the football field,” Bills edge Von Miller said. “I’m a huge fan of him. I can empathize and sympathize with him because I’ve been there. I wish him the best.”
Tagovailoa’s history with concussions — and how he has since worked to avoid them — is a huge part of the story of his career, and now comes to the forefront once again.
He had at least two concussions during the 2022 season. He was hurt in a Week 3 game against Buffalo and cleared concussion protocol, though he appeared disoriented on that play but returned to the game.
The NFL later changed its concussion protocol to mandate that if a player shows possible concussion symptoms — including a lack of balance or stability — he must sit out the rest of the game.
Less than a week later, in a Thursday night game at Cincinnati, Tagovailoa was concussed on a scary hit that briefly knocked him unconscious and led to him being taken off the field on a stretcher.
His second known concussion of that season came in a December game against Green Bay, and he didn’t play for the rest of the 2022 season. After that, Tagovailoa began studying ways where he may be able to fall more safely and protect himself against further injury — including studying jiu-jitsu.
“I’m not worried about anything that’s out of my hands,” McDaniel said. “I’m just worried about the human being.”
NEW YORK (AP) — When her husband turns on the television to hear news about the upcoming presidential election, that’s often a signal for Lori Johnson Malveaux to leave the room.
It can get to be too much. Often, she’ll go to a TV in another room to watch a movie on the Hallmark Channel or BET. She craves something comforting and entertaining. And in that, she has company.
While about half of Americans say they are following political news “extremely” or “very” closely, about 6 in 10 say they need to limit how much information they consume about the government and politics to avoid feeling overloaded or fatigued, according to a new survey from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and USAFacts.
Make no mistake: Malveaux plans to vote. She always does. “I just get to the point where I don’t want to hear the rhetoric,” she said.
The 54-year-old Democrat said she’s most bothered when she hears people on the news telling her that something she saw with her own eyes — like the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol — didn’t really happen.
“I feel like I’m being gaslit. That’s the way to put it,” she said.
Sometimes it feels like ‘a bombardment’
Caleb Pack, 23, a Republican from Ardmore, Oklahoma, who works in IT, tries to keep informed through the news feeds on his phone, which is stocked with a variety of sources, including CNN, Fox News, The Wall Street Journal and The Associated Press.
Yet sometimes, Pack says, it seems like a bombardment.
“It’s good to know what’s going on, but both sides are pulling a little bit extreme,” he said. “It just feels like it’s a conversation piece everywhere, and it’s hard to escape it.”
Media fatigue isn’t a new phenomenon. A Pew Research Center survey conducted in late 2019 found roughly two in three Americans felt worn out by the amount of news there is, about the same as in a poll taken in early 2018. During the 2016 presidential campaign, about 6 in 10 people felt overloaded by campaign news.
But it can be particularly acute with news related to politics. The AP-NORC/USAFacts poll found that half of Americans feel a need to limit their consumption of information related to crime or overseas conflicts, while only about 4 in 10 are limiting news about the economy and jobs.
It’s easy to understand, with television outlets like CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC full of political talk and a wide array of political news online, sometimes complicated by disinformation.
“There’s a glut of information,” said Richard Coffin, director of research and advocacy for USAFacts, “and people are having a hard time figuring out what is true or not.”
Women are more likely to feel they need to limit media
In the AP-NORC poll, about 6 in 10 men said they follow news about elections and politics at least “very” closely, compared to about half of women. For all types of news, not just politics, women are more likely than men to report the need to limit their media consumption, the survey found.
White adults are also more likely than Black or Hispanic adults to say they need to limit media consumption on politics, the poll found.
Kaleb Aravzo, 19, a Democrat, gets a baseline of news by listening to National Public Radio in the morning at home in Logan, Utah. Too much politics, particularly when he’s on social media sites like TikTok and Instagram, can trigger anxiety and depression.
“If it pops up on my page when I’m on social media,” he said, “I’ll just scroll past it.”
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Sanders reported from Washington. David Bauder writes about media for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder.
The AP poll of 1,019 adults was conducted July 29-August 8, 2024, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.0 percentage points.
