In order to comply with the Online News Act, Meta has begun the process of ending news availability in Canada. These changes began on August 1st 2023, and will be implemented for all people accessing Facebook and Instagram in Canada over the course of the next few weeks.
This article is designed to provide an in-depth look at the implications of these actions, specifically detailing what their enactment means, the ensuing changes for users, and how these changes will affect interactions and engagements on NewsWhip Spike.
What are the changes?
- News links will no longer be visible to Facebook and Instagram users in Canada. This applies to both Canadian news and international news.
- Canadian publishers will likely be restricted from posting on both Facebook and Instagram although this is yet to be confirmed.
- Canadian users may be restricted from posting links to news articles within posts, Reels, and Stories.
Please refer to this page on Meta's site: Changes to News Availability on Our Platforms in Canada
How will this impact NewsWhip's data?
Meta ending news availability in Canada may impact NewsWhip data, such as a potential decrease in visible posts from Canadian publishers. However, engagements with international publishers are likely to remain consistent, and alternate platforms can provide further insights on Canadian public interest.
Q: Will I continue to see posts from Canadian publishers following Meta's actions?
Visibility of posts from Canadian publishers on NewsWhip might be affected depending on Meta's decisions about their ability to post. This is subject to change and we will keep users updated.
Q: What will happen to engagement with Canadian publishers following Meta's actions?
You might observe a drop in engagement with Canadian publishers. However, engagement might still occur from users outside Canada and from some within Canada who use VPNs or other methods to access news links on Meta platforms.
Q: How else can I monitor public interest in Canada-centric issues with NewsWhip?
With the possible decrease in engagement on Meta platforms, other sources such as Reddit, YouTube, and TikTok can serve as alternative platforms to gauge public interest, especially for issues primarily concerning Canada.
Q: Will there be any impact on engagement with international publishers?
We do not anticipate a significant impact on engagement with international publishers as a result of the ban.
Q: Is this ending of news availability in Canada by Meta permanent?
The duration is not certain. For context, similar actions were implemented by Facebook on Australian news in 2021, which were later reversed. We will continue to monitor the situation and update users as more information becomes available.
Comments
Please sign in to leave a comment.