Google has begun temporarily restricting news results to approximately four percent of randomly selected Canadian users in the five-week tests.
The decision responds directly to an online news bill called C-18, currently under discussion in the Canadian Parliament.
The bill introduced last spring would require Internet companies like Google and Facebook to pay news publishers for the use of their content.
Bill C-18 builds on similar legislation in Australia and allows for binding arbitration if tech companies refuse to pay publishers.
Tests will affect web search and Discover on Android devices. A Google spokesperson confirmed the test.
Google criticizes the “link tax”
Google has criticized Bill C-18, also known as the Online News Act, since it was proposed in 2022.
The search company claims that the “link tax” legislation would harm Google and Canadian news publishers and readers.
Google also believes that the proposed law would set a bad precedent for other countries to follow, which could harm the open nature of the Internet.
Canada’s Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer reports that the law could force Google to pay news publishers approximately 329.2 million Canadian dollars (or approximately 242.99 million US dollars) annually.
This will cover about 30% of the publishers’ editorial costs.
In contrast, Google’s search revenue was $42.60 billion in the fourth quarter of last year alone.
Google’s decision to block News is worrying
The move raised concerns from publishers who rely on news content to increase website traffic, as blocking the content could reduce the number of visitors.
Google’s decision to stop showing news has people worried about censorship and the right to know.
There is a lot of talk in Canada about controlling what happens online while allowing people to express themselves.
If passed, this law would change the way things work online in Canada, potentially affecting publishers who operate there. As things go, people in the industry need to stay informed and change the way they work if they need to.
source: Reuters
Featured image: JHVEPhoto / Shutterstock
