The federal government has released draft regulations for the Online News Act, revealing a clearer picture of how much Google and Meta could pay publishers to share their news articles.
Google could contribute upwards of $172 million a year, while Meta could look at $62 million, based on the two companies’ revenues, according to a draft of the regulations (via the National Post).
However, the platforms could reach an agreement with publishers that would allow them to be exempt from the bargaining process.
The news is the latest in an ongoing standoff that advanced when the bill became law in the spring, ultimately resulting in Meta starting to pull news access for Canadians on Instagram and Facebook.
In a blog post responding to the draft regulations, the company said it will not change its decision.
“As we have communicated to the government, the regulatory process is not equipped to address the fundamentally flawed premise of the Online News Act,” Rachel Curran, head of public policy at Meta Canada, said.
“As the legislation is based on the incorrect assertion that Meta benefits unfairly from the news content shared on our platforms, today’s proposed regulations will not impact our business decision to end news availability in Canada.”
Google has also committed to ending news access for Canadians.
Canadians can provide comments on the regulation through a public consultation that begins on September 2nd. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) will also hold a public consultation in the fall.
The commission is responsible for defining the specifics for the bargaining process and eligibility requirements.
In a press release, Minister of Canadian Heritage, Pascale St-Onge, said she is looking forward to addressing the issues with the tech giants “in a constructive way.”
“Tech giants can and must contribute their fair share—nothing more. Canadians expect a vibrant news landscape where we can get the facts when we need them.”
Source: Canadian Heritage
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