Meta begins blocking news on Facebook, Instagram in Canada

Meta said it started blocking news content on Facebook and Instagram in Canada over a law directing Big Tech companies to pay media outlets for news used on their platforms.

The escalating feud over digital news up north coincides with Meta‘s fight against antitrust journalism legislation becoming law in the U.S. that has stalled in Congress.

After Canada’s Legislature passed the Online News Act this year, Meta said it would restrict the flow of news across its platforms. The Big Tech company said Tuesday it will make good on its threat.

“In order to comply with the Online News Act, we have begun the process of ending news availability in Canada,” Meta said on its blog. “These changes start today, and will be implemented for all people accessing Facebook and Instagram in Canada over the course of the next few weeks.”