By Greg Duncan
A recent experience while trying to read a story that had been published in a local newspaper and then shared on Facebook about an important upcoming musical festival in Stanstead resulted in frustration and inability to read the article. Why? Because Meta (Facebook’s parent company) had blocked it because it was “news” and had been published by a legitimate Canadian news outlet. What you say, news is forbidden in Canada? Perhaps you too have experienced this while clicking on a news story on Facebook over the past two years ever since a confusing and frustrating state of restricted news access on the platform began in response to Canada’s Online News Act. Let’s explore the issue.
The background
Canada’s Online News Act, (formerly Bill C-18), was designed to help sustain journalism by requiring tech giants like Meta and Google to compensate news outlets when their content is shared on digital platforms. On paper, it’s a lifeline for an industry struggling to stay afloat. In practice, however, the implementation has sparked a standoff—particularly with Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, which has taken the drastic step of blocking Canadian news content entirely.
Meta’s move: A hard line
In response to the Online News Act, Meta began restricting access to news for Canadian users in 2023. That means Canadian news outlets can’t post links to articles on Facebook or Instagram, and users in Canada can’t view or share news content from those sources on Meta platforms. The stated reason: Meta argues it shouldn’t be forced to pay for links, claiming that news outlets voluntarily post to gain traffic. Their solution is to remove the content altogether.
Collateral damage: Community organizations
What’s been overlooked in this impasse is the ripple effect on community organizations, nonprofits, and advocacy groups that rely on news content—not just to inform but to connect. These aren’t media conglomerates; they’re local food banks, shelters, arts collectives, and grassroots movements whose voices depend on community storytelling.
Here’s how Meta’s blackout harms them:
- Loss of visibility
- Community organizations often rely on local media coverage to validate their work and amplify events. With news links banned, those stories can’t be shared, drastically limiting reach—especially to older demographics who depend on Facebook for local updates.
- Crippling outreach campaigns
- Many nonprofits collaborate with journalists to publicize fundraisers, events, food drives, or crisis response efforts. These stories generate trust and inspire donations and attendance. But now, there’s no streamlined way to spread the word on Meta’s massive platforms.
- Silencing marginalized voices
- Groups advocating for Indigenous rights, newcomers, or low-income families often get coverage in alternative or community-driven news outlets. With those links banned, their stories disappear from public view, further marginalizing already underrepresented communities.
The algorithm gap
- Facebook’s algorithm favors content with engagement. Credible news articles—especially locally relevant ones—once served as catalysts. Without those stories, community pages are buried beneath viral entertainment, making it harder for organizations to stay relevant online. Worse yet, an increase in AI generated posts makes it more difficult to separate what is real or credible, and what is not. Regardless of credibility of a post now, the engagement algorithm principles apply and continue to increase profits for Meta. Some users claim that each time a questionable post is reported that they see more of the same.
Not just a news problem—It’s a community problem
Meta’s news ban doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s now woven into the fabric of Canadian civic life. Local journalism doesn’t just inform; it connects residents, exposes injustice, celebrates culture, and builds empathy. When platforms block that flow of information, they isolate users from their communities.
Real voices, real impact
Community leaders have been vocal. The Canadian Association of Community Newspapers reported declines in traffic and engagement, noting that hundreds of small publications—many rural or culturally specific—are now struggling even more to survive. Charities have echoed the frustration, pointing out that media partnerships used to be one of the most effective tools for public awareness.
And the irony? Many of these organizations don’t seek payment. They’re not trying to monetize the news—they just want to share it to serve their missions.
Alternatives aren’t enough
Sure, organizations can possibly pivot to email newsletters, websites, or alternate platforms like X or TikTok. But those come with limitations as they’re fragmented audiences are scattered across platforms. They also require levels of digital literacy that many “communities” don’t have and perhaps lack an arguably broad and local reach that Facebook’s uniqueness provides.
The path forward
There’s no easy solution. But a few ideas could help:
- Platform collaboration: Meta could create exemptions for nonprofit and community-based organizations sharing local news.
- Legislative refinement: The Online News Act might need clearer guidelines that prevent unintended consequences for small players.
- Public investment: Canada should maintain and build on existing public support funds for community media and digital outreach efforts while establishing new and innovative media programs.
What we risk losing
If this policy clash continues, it’s not just journalism that suffers—it’s the fabric of local Canadian life. From small-town fundraisers to cultural events, these stories bring people together. And when Meta shuts them out, community organizations lose a vital thread in the social web.
This isn’t a fight over media profits. It’s a reckoning with how we value connection, storytelling, and service. And until tech giants and governments find common ground, Canada’s communities—especially its most vulnerable—are left in digital silence.
Resources and references
Meta’s statement and policy: https://transparency.meta.com/en-gb/policies/other-policies/news-regulations/
Canada’s Online News Act (Formerly Bill C-18): https://www.parl.ca/DocumentViewer/en/44-1/bill/C-18/royal-assent
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