Last month, Google began testing partial news blocking on its search platform in Canada, in response to the government 's proposed legislation that would force social media platforms to pay local news publishers.
Google logo. Photo: Reuters
Google said the test is similar to thousands of other product tests the company conducts on a regular basis. The company said the tests, which affected less than 4% of Canadian users, began on February 9 and were expected to run for five weeks.
Speaking before a Canadian parliamentary committee investigating the tests, Jason Kee, Google's director of public policy, confirmed that the tests would end next week. "I want to emphasize that these are just tests. No decisions have been made about product changes," Kee said.
Last month, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Google's blocking of news content was a "terrible mistake" in response to the "Online News Act" — a government bill that would create rules for platforms like Facebook and Google to negotiate payments to news publishers in the country.
“I am truly amazed that Google has decided that they would rather prevent Canadians from accessing news than actually pay journalists for their work,” Trudeau said at the time.
Facebook has also raised concerns about the law, warning that it could be forced to block sharing of articles from local news outlets on its platform.
Canada's news and media industry has asked the government to impose more regulations on tech companies to allow the industry to recoup financial losses it has suffered during years when tech giants have steadily gained a larger share of the advertising market.
Canada’s proposal is similar to a groundbreaking law Australia passed in 2021 that also prompted Google and Facebook to threaten to cut off their services. However, both eventually reached a deal to pay Australian news publishers through commercial deals.
Mai Anh (according to Reuters, CNA)
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