Google has been blocking Canadians in response to the bill C-18 that parliament initiated. The bill introduced last spring would require internet companies like Google and Facebook to pay news publishers for using their content. This bill is currently being under debate in Canada.
This bill is similar to the one in Australia in that it would allow binding arbitration if the tech companies refused to pay publishers. Therefore, Google has been blocking around 4% of Canadian users. The tests (blocking of users) will affect web search and the Discover feature on Android devices. A Google spokesperson confirmed the testing. Google has been critical of the “link tax” saying that it will harm Google and sets a bad precedence for other countries, potentially harming the open nature of the internet.
This move has sparked concerns from publishers relying on news content to drive website traffic, as blocking the content could result in fewer visitors. Google’s decision to stop showing news has worried people about censorship and the right to know. There is a lot of talk in Canada about controlling what’s online while letting people express themselves.
If the law passes it will change this sector in Canada consequently affecting the US. As things go on people in the industry need to stay in tuned to what is going on.
Google Tests Blocking News Content For 4% Of Canadians (searchenginejournal.com)
One Response
This is really interesting! I can understand why people are getting concerned about Google’s ability to keep information from people.