As wildfires rage, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau throws daggers at Meta over news block

POLICY

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau today accused Meta Platforms Inc. of thinking more about its bottom line than the safety of residents, as Canada and Meta continue to bump heads over Meta’s blackout of the country’s news.

Canada is having its worst fire season on record, with cities engulfed in the Northwest Territories and around 35,000 residents evacuated in the province of British Columbia, but Meta is still banning the hearing of Canadian domestic news on Facebook and Instagram. Meta started blocking news earlier this month in response to a new Canadian law, Bill C-18, that demands tech giants pay up for news content that appears on their platforms.

The Canadian government has called the ban “irresponsible,” adding that as locals in parts of Canada presently struggle to flee from the fires, it’s nothing less than “reckless.” Things could have been worse. Google LLC has also said it will remove links to Canadian news because of the new law, although the search engine giant has yet to follow through on its promise.

Last year, Meta had a fallout with the Australian government over a similar new law, although the company soon struck a deal with publishers in the country. In Canada, Meta is holding fast to its news ban, despite widespread criticism and pleas from Canadian politicians to lift it at this trying time.

“Right now, in an emergency situation where up-to-date local information is more important than ever, Facebook is putting corporate profits ahead of people’s safety,” Trudeau said at a news conference today. “It is so inconceivable that a company like Facebook is choosing to put corporate profits ahead of ensuring that local news organizations can get up-to-date information to Canadians.”

The accusation of putting profits before safety is one that’s been leveled against Meta numerous times, but in this case, Meta hasn’t been rattled. The company said in a statement that Canadians can still use its platforms “to connect with their communities and access reputable information, including content from official government agencies, emergency services, and non-governmental organizations.”

Photo: Issy Bailey/Unsplash