Google to block news links in Canada over law on paying publishers

Google will take away hyperlinks to Canadian news from search outcomes and different merchandise in Canada when a legislation requiring web giants to pay news publishers comes into impact, the Alphabet-owned firm stated on Thursday.

Google joins Facebook-owner Meta Platforms Inc in asserting an finish to news entry for Canadian customers of their platforms after Bill C-18, or the Online News Act, was handed into legislation final week.

The laws got here after complaints from Canada’s media business, which desires tighter regulation of tech corporations to stop them from elbowing news companies out of the internet marketing market.

“We have now informed the government that when the law takes effect, we unfortunately will have to remove links to Canadian news from our Search, News and Discover products in Canada,” Google stated in a blogpost.

“We don’t take this decision or its impacts lightly and believe it’s important to be transparent with Canadian publishers and our users as early as possible,” it stated.

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