"Facebook's News Blocking and Political Risks: A Study of Meta's Impact on Digital Publishers and Political Discourse"

Meta's decision to block news sharing in Canada rather than pay fees to media companies has led to a surge in engagement with opinion and non-verified content, potentially undermining political discourse, according to studies. The absence of news on the platform has resulted in increased user engagement with memes and image-based posts, while likes, comments, and shares of unreliable sources have climbed. This move by Meta has sparked concerns about the spread of disinformation and misinformation, particularly during critical times such as emergencies and elections, prompting calls for fair remuneration for news content used on digital platforms.