Did you hear? Meta and Google are blocking news in Canada in response to the Online News Act (Bill C-18).
It’s scary living in a time when companies have so much power over what news we take in online.
We aren’t exactly sure what to do about it, but here are some suggestions of how you can demand change, stay informed, and look on the bright side of the situation.
1. To Demand Change
• Email and tag PM Justin Trudeau, the Minister of Canadian Heritage Pablo Rodriguez at pablo.rodriguez@parl.gc.ca and your local representatives demanding that they work to solve this problem
• Support calls for the Competition Bureau to investigate the ban
• As social media users, consumers and creators, let Meta and Google know your discontent with their response to bill C-18
2. To stay informed
• Talk about Bill C-18 with your friends, family and community members, especially the young people in your life who may relay on social media platforms for their news intake
• Subscribe to your favourite trusted news outlets e-newsletters and download their apps, like: CBC, The Tyee, The Narwhal, CTV News, Victoria Now
• Follow NGOs to stay up to date on environmental and social news
• Watch local, national and international news on TV or listen on the radio
3. Look on the bright side
• The GOOD news is, we can take this time to get off our screens and social media apps and to reconnect with each other and nature in real life!
• Instead of doom scrolling, try… • Spending time with loved ones • Going for a walk, run or bike ride • Pulling some invasive species or planting something • Playing a musical instrument • Volunteering, making change in your own community • The possibilities are endless!
If you are being impacted by the block/have thoughts on the response to bill c-18/have ideas of what to do other than doom scrolling, leave a blog post in response to this one! We’d love to hear your thoughts.
