Feds, Cogeco, Quebecor, say goodbye to Meta

The federal government, Quebecor Inc., and Cogeco Inc., are pulling all their advertising investments from Meta Platforms Inc. The companies and government announced the move Wednesday in separate news releases. The trio is responding to Meta’s decision to block all Canadian journalistic content on its platforms – a move Alphabet Inc.’s Google also made after the passage of Canada’s Online News Act. Unlike Google, Meta has refused to negotiate possible solutions with the government under C-18, motivating their decision. “We’re convinced at the government that what Google is asking at this moment, can be done, and it will be done actually, through regulations,” said Minister of Canadian Heritage Pablo Rodriguez. The Minister explained that he has been in regular contact with the tech giant, adding that, “Meta, on the other side, is not talking to us…” Rodriguez was joined by Bloc MP heritage critic Martin Champoux and NDP MP heritage critic Peter Julian. The two expressed support for the decision and hope the move inspires other governments and organizations to pull their advertising from Meta. “I think others should follow suit. Others need to follow suit to send a clear message,” said Champoux, according to a translation. “I wouldn’t be surprised if there is more support that develops for the idea that, if Meta is going to continue down this road, folks are going to be a lot less inclined to try to support them financially,” said Julian. Shortly after the press conference, the Bloc Québécois released a statement announcing its decision to suspend all of its advertising investments on Meta’s platforms, until further notice. No announcements have been made from the other major parties. The two companies also called on other industry members to divest from Meta-owned platforms. Quebecor is encouraging “businesses, governments and institutions to make clear their disagreement with Meta’s affront to public policy and the news media through their advertising placement choices,” according to its press release. “Any move by Meta to circumvent Canadian law, block news for its users or discriminate against Canadian media content on its platforms, through its algorithms or otherwise, cannot be tolerated.” “This high-handed decision is an abuse of Meta’s dominant position, particularly in the Canadian online advertising market, and violates the basic tenets of any society that believes in the importance of reliable, trustworthy news coverage for a healthy democracy,” the company added. The federal government currently spends about $10 million per year in advertising on Meta’s Facebook and Instagram. Rodriguez said that those funds are to be reinvested in other government campaigns not yet determined. – Reporting by Phalen Tynes-MacDonald at pcreed@thewirereport.ca and editing by Jenna Cocullo at jcocullo@thewirereport.ca.

Feds, Cogeco, Quebecor, say goodbye to Meta

News | July 5, 2023

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Feds, Cogeco, Quebecor, say goodbye to Meta

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