With the federal government of Canada standing strong on this topic it must be intentional.
If internet news readers can no longer access the news and funding is stripped from journalists then the only remaining Canadian journalists would be federally funded government journalists.
Since people share anti-government news on social media, the blackout benefits the government in ensuring that only pro-government news is accessible by Canadians.
I'm not fan of the current Canadian government, but I understand what they were going for. After all, printed newspapers are dying, and the Liberal government has already spent a fortune to help keep them alive. In exchange, from what anyone can tell, they got light-touch coverage from those same publications. However, they're not willing to spend $600 million every year to keep them alive, and they're aware that most people consume their news through their electronics via Google Hews, MSN News or Apple News, so this made sense to them. In their minds, anyone who delivers content from a publication through another web site should pay for the right to do so and it does indeed make sense.
On the other hand, many of the smaller publications say that those delivery systems were helping to get clicks on their websites. In other words, a lot of sites most people didn't even know existed got more visits from having been featured on something like Google News at some point. The big guys ultimately lose money, but the small guys are helped to become big.
Basically, the government is damned if they do and damned if they don't.
[ + ] rabidR04CH
[ - ] rabidR04CH 4 points 9 monthsAug 6, 2023 22:07:22 ago (+4/-0)
On the other hand, many of the smaller publications say that those delivery systems were helping to get clicks on their websites. In other words, a lot of sites most people didn't even know existed got more visits from having been featured on something like Google News at some point. The big guys ultimately lose money, but the small guys are helped to become big.
Basically, the government is damned if they do and damned if they don't.
[ + ] bonghits4jeebus
[ - ] bonghits4jeebus 2 points 9 monthsAug 6, 2023 22:50:09 ago (+2/-0)
Yeah this is true. I am familiar with some that have been de-platformed by Google, and it tanks their traffic.
[ + ] yesiknow
[ - ] yesiknow 2 points 9 monthsAug 7, 2023 01:07:20 ago (+2/-0)
Lazy idiots who just suck up what their phone beams across their screen from google or facebook are presented with their own choice to be trapped.
[ + ] xmasskull
[ - ] xmasskull 2 points 9 monthsAug 7, 2023 01:32:46 ago (+2/-0)
This is going to get wild.