MidlandToday welcomes letters to the editor. They can emailed to [email protected]. Please include your name, address, and phone number for verification. The following letter was submitted in response to the potential implications of a federal bill changing the way Canadian news content is shared on search engines and social media.
I am writing to express my concerns about Bill C-18, the Online News Act, which recently received royal assent. I believe that this bill is fundamentally flawed and would have a negative impact on the Canadian news industry, as well as on the free and open web.
One of the main concerns I have with Bill C-18 is that it would force Google and other online platforms to pay news publishers for simply linking to their content. This is a dangerous precedent that could have a chilling effect on the free flow of information online.
I encourage readers to search and read (while you still can) "Google and Meta pulling news will 'devastate' the industry, says Canadian publisher." The article highlights some of the concerns that news publishers have about Bill C-18. The article quotes Jeff Elgie, CEO of VillageMedia (including MidlandToday), who says that the bill would "devastate" the industry. Elgie also points out that about 50 per cent of the traffic to VillageMedia's websites comes from Facebook and Google. If these platforms were to remove Canadian news content, it would be a major blow to VillageMedia and other small news publishers.
Google has also expressed concerns about Bill C-18. In an open letter to Canadians, the company said that the bill "would put a price on free links" and "encourage cheap clickbait, not quality journalism." Google has also said that it is committed to working with the government to find a solution that is fair to both news publishers and online platforms.
I urge the government to reconsider Bill C-18 and to find a solution that does not harm the free and open web. I believe that the best way to support the Canadian news industry is to invest in public broadcasting and to create a level playing field for all news publishers online.
A local newspaper is extremely important to smaller communities.
Jody LaPlante
Collingwood, Ont.
