Meta has been prickly about Canada's Online News Act, and it has gone to the point that news can no longer be viewed through Facebook and Instagram. Lately, Canadian users have seen the restriction on Threads as well, but Meta clarified that it was not on purpose.
Threads Bug Has Been Fixed
The blocked news on Threads was just a momentary restriction as it was a bug that Meta eventually fixed. However, the reaction of Canadian users was understandable and even expected, given that Facebook and Meta no longer allow Canadian News.
During the bug, news content would display a message saying: "People in Canada can't view this content" and that "Content from news publishers can't be viewed in Canada in response to Canadian government legislation," as per Engadget.
Reports about the issue are inconsistent. Some day by Monday, the bug was no longer a problem. For other users, however, news content was still blocked as of Tuesday. Meta has already clarified the matter.
A spokesperson from the social media giant stated that the Online News Act's framework has not reached Threads yet. Still, the bug shows that Threads already has measures in place that can be put up at a moment's notice.
It was in August that Meta started to block news in Canada on platforms like Instagram and Facebook, which is in response to the Act requiring Meta to pay news publishers a fee when they post content on its platforms.
It might also be detrimental for Threads to follow suit. While Instagram and Facebook can be used for news, that's not the main purpose of the sites. Threads, on the other hand, is meant to be a competitor to X (formerly Twitter), which seems to still be the leading social media platform in the subject.
Meta is Keeping the News Ban on Other Platforms
Threads are safe from such restrictions for now. Despite Google giving in and creating a deal that satisfies both parties, Meta is standing its ground on the established ban on Facebook and Instagram for Canadian news outlets.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed that they will "continue to push Meta, which makes billions of dollars in profits, even though it is refusing to invest in the journalistic rigor and stability of the media," as per BBC.
Meta President of Global Affairs Nick Clegg said that the premise of the Act was flawed, especially since Meta does not benefit from its users sharing links and other forms of content from news publishers on Meta.
If the social media giant would follow Google's example, then around 30% of the funds will be given to broadcasters, and 70% of that will be provided to CBC, which is Canada's public broadcaster. Most will fall to print and online media.
The Online News Act was created partly because of the struggle of news outlets with advertising revenues. News Media Canada President Paul Deegan said that it's "fair and balanced and predictable for publishers and for platforms."
