Backdown or Bailout?: What Comes Next for the Government’s Epic Bill C-18 Miscalculation

The government's decision to block news links on Facebook and Instagram due to mandated payments for links has led to speculation about the next steps. One possibility is that the government backs down and withdraws the bill, although this is unlikely. Another option is to negotiate with Google on the regulations, but there is no deal yet. If there is no compromise, Google may follow Meta's approach and block news links, causing harm to the media sector and making Canada a digital outlier. The government could respond by punishing Google, exploring other solutions, or providing direct support to the media sector. However, a government bailout would be problematic. Ultimately, the government should take responsibility for its mistake and not expect the public to pay for it.



https://www.michaelgeist.ca/2023/08/backdown-or-bailout-what-comes-next-for-the-governments-epic-bill-c-18-miscalculation/