Aug 18, 2023
Wildfire evacuees frustrated by Facebook news ban in Canada
Mr Osted said he has been left frustrated by his inability to share news articles on Facebook during the active emergency situation, due to Meta's ban on news content for Canadian users. Meta - which owns Facebook and Instagram - began blocking access to news for its Canadian users on 1 August, not long after Canada's parliament passed an online news bill that will require platforms like Google and Meta to negotiate deals with news publishers for content. As Meta rolls out the ban as part of its campaign against the legislation, a growing number of Canadian users have found themselves unable to view news shared by media organisations on its platforms. Many evacuees have been using Facebook groups like NWT Wildfires Safety Check to mark themselves safe from the fires and to ask about updates. Meta's restriction on news has forced other jurisdictions in Canada to rethink how they disseminate essential information.
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