Canada passed the Online News Act last June, which was supposed to make the digital news marketplace fairer. The law aimed to require tech giants like Google and Meta (Facebook and Instagram’s parent company) to pay news outlets when their articles appeared on these platforms. Maureen Googoo runs Ku’ku’kwes News, focusing on stories about Canada’s Indigenous communities. Her website used to attract about 12,000 visitors a month, but now that number has dropped significantly.

Google agreed to pay Canadian newsrooms around C$100 million annually, but Meta decided against it. Instead of paying, Meta blocked all news links on Facebook and Instagram in Canada last August. Despite this, Meta’s user numbers and ad revenue haven’t suffered. According to research, engagement with Canadian news outlets on Facebook dropped dramatically. National news outlets lost 64% of their engagement, while local outlets saw an 85% drop. Almost half of the local news outlets stopped posting on Facebook altogether.

Bigger publications with strong brand recognition can handle these changes, but smaller digital-only sites need help. Readers and news outlets are finding ways around Meta’s ban. Some people share screenshots of articles on Facebook instead of links, which keeps some news visible. On Facebook groups like “Only in Canada,” screenshots of blocked news headlines are widely shared.

The lack of official news on Facebook could increase the spread of misinformation. NewsGuard found that unreliable sources accounted for more engagement after the blackout. Some fear this reduces the scrutiny of politicians and harms democracy, especially with an election coming up.

Canada’s communications regulator will decide whether Meta’s news link blocking excuses it from paying fees. If Meta doesn’t have to pay, changes to the legislation may be considered. Meanwhile, News Media Canada filed a complaint, arguing that Meta’s actions are an abuse of its dominant position.

Canada’s experience might influence other countries considering similar laws. Meta has shown a willingness to walk away from deals rather than pay for news content.