Meta has addressed a bug that temporarily restricted Threads users in Canada from accessing and sharing news on the platform, according to a company spokesperson. Despite Meta’s earlier move to remove news content from Canadian users’ Facebook and Instagram feeds in response to the Online News Act, Threads seemed to have escaped the block until users reported encountering issues.
Some Threads users in Canada received alerts suggesting news content restrictions, with a notice displaying, “People in Canada can’t view this content. Content from news publishers can’t be viewed in Canada in response to Canadian government legislation.”
The extent and duration of the bug remain unclear, with reports emerging on Monday and some users still experiencing difficulties accessing links as of Tuesday morning.
Expressing frustration, a Threads user named Pedro Marques posted on Monday, “Well… that sucks. @meta is escalating their news blocking in Canada, previously only on Facebook and Instagram, now on Threads.” However, a Meta spokesperson assured Engadget that, for now, the framework of the Online News Act doesn’t apply to Threads. Despite this, the appearance of the notice has sparked speculation about the potential for Meta to implement news content restrictions on Threads in the future.
The global tech industry has witnessed ongoing clashes between major companies and countries over news payment issues. In 2021, Facebook halted the sharing of news links in Australia, and Google threatened to cease featuring content from Australian news publishers on Google News. Eventually, both companies reached agreements and committed to compensating Australian news organizations.
In August, Meta responded to Canada’s Online News Act by blocking news on Facebook and Instagram, following Google’s earlier commitment to block news links. Google later reached an agreement with the Canadian government, pledging to pay around $100 million annually to Canadian publishers, as reported by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
While Meta has played down the significance of news on Threads, stating a reluctance to “amplify news” on the platform, the potential blocking of news on Threads could have a more substantial impact than on Instagram and Facebook. Threads has attracted approximately 100 million users as an alternative to Twitter, and blocking news content could diminish its utility for both users and publishers who have experienced increased engagement on the platform.
Information for this briefing was found via Engadget and the sources mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to this organization. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.
