Canadians will no longer have access to news content on Facebook and Instagram, Meta says

The social media giant Meta has confirmed that it will end access to news on its social media sites for all Canadian users before Bill C-18, the Online News Act, comes into force.

The tech company made the announcement on Thursday, the same day the bill received royal assent. The law will force tech giants like Meta and Google to pay news outlets for posting their journalism on their platforms.

Meta said it will begin to block news for Canadian users over the next few months and that the change will not be immediate.

"We have repeatedly shared that in order to comply with Bill C-18 ... content from news outlets, including news publishers and broadcasters, will no longer be available to people accessing our platforms in Canada," Meta said in a media statement.