The tech-giant confirmed that the time-limited tests, which affect a random sample of less than 4% of users in Canada, “limit the visibility of Canadian and international news to varying degrees.”
A spokesman for Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez said that Canadians will not be intimidated and that it is disappointing that Google is borrowing from Meta’s playbook.
“Canadians need access to quality, fact-based news at the local and national level and that’s why we introduced the Online News Act. Tech giants need to be more transparent and accountable to Canadians,” the spokesperson said.
Last year, Facebook warned it could block the sharing of news content on its platform in Canada over concerns about legislation that would force digital platforms to pay news publishers.