Tech Giants' News Blackout in Canada: The Battle for Journalism's Survival

Facebook and Google have announced plans to block local news from their platforms in Canada after the country passed a law requiring tech giants to negotiate payment agreements with news outlets. The law, known as the Online News Act, aims to force companies like Google and Meta to pay news providers for their content. If payment agreements cannot be reached, the country's broadcast regulator can enforce arbitration. The law is estimated to generate over C$300m annually, providing much-needed funding for newsrooms. However, instead of complying, the tech giants have chosen to block links to news articles on their platforms. This dispute could have significant implications as other countries consider similar measures to make tech giants pay for news.