The technology giant will block news content on its platforms for people in Canada if the Online News Act, known as Bill C-18, passes in its current form, Meta Canada’s head of communications Lisa Laventure told The Logic via email. “A legislative framework that compels us to pay for links or content that we do not post, and which are not the reason the vast majority of people use our platforms, is neither sustainable nor workable,” she said. (The Logic)

Talking point: Meta, then known as Facebook, threatened much the same in 2020 when the Australian government enacted similar legislation—though the company ultimately backtracked. Nevertheless, Canadian Sen. Julie Miville-Dechêne told The Logic she believes the company will follow through on its threat this time. “It’s no doubt not a bluff,” said Miville-Dechêne, one of the senators seeing the Online News Act through the chamber, citing Meta’s longtime opposition to the bill, as well as the company’s financial woes. Google recently throttled access to Canadian news, an experiment that is scheduled to end later this week. The Logic’s CEO David Skok has previously testified in support of Bill C-18, on the grounds that large platforms are already striking payment deals that favour large media companies.