Given Meta’s decision to block news on its platforms in response to Bill C-18, journalists and public relations experts are urging citizens not to post on Facebook and Instagram on September 15 to cope.
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The date was not chosen randomly as it also coincides with International Democracy Day.
“Information is what binds us together as a society,” recalled Patrick Howe, president of the Quebec Society of Professionals in Public Relations (SQPRP), on Thursday.
“No matter who we are, journalists or PR professionals, we play a central role in this public square where society can have informed discussions on all issues, large and small, that affect all citizens, while allowing them to stay connected .” he added.
Therefore, on September 15, Quebecers are asked not to post anything online on the meta-platforms and to subscribe to a medium or a newsletter from a local medium.
In addition to the SQPRP and the Quebec Professional Association of Journalists (FPJQ), several community actors such as Quebecor, the Union des artists, but also the mayors of Laval, Longueuil and Quebec have supported this initiative.
Refusal to share income
Web giants like Meta and Google’s parent company Alphabet monopolize nearly 80% of digital advertising revenue in Canada, the FPJQ recalled.
In particular, part of this income was obtained through the presence of media on Facebook, which would have allowed Meta to receive $193 million in 2021, according to an analysis by Jean-Hugues Roy, professor at the School of Media at UQAM.
If Meta agreed to comply with the Online News Act, also known as Bill C-18, Mark Zuckerberg’s company would have to pay $62 million to Canadian media, according to an estimate from the federal Department of Heritage.
Meta’s worldwide revenue was $116.6 billion in 2022.
“Meta clearly has the means to do its part, but insists on playing by its own rules, which is unacceptable. This attitude is unworthy of a good corporate citizen in 2023. It is important that the public is informed,” said Michael Nguyen, President of the FPJQ.
The Online News Act is scheduled to come into force on December 19.