On the Facebook pages of Canadian dailies (including The Globe and Mail, The Vancouver Sun, or Le Devoir) and of any public radio and television networks (such as CBC-Radio-Canada, as well as private ones, like Global News,) the message is the same: "In response to Canadian government legislation, news content can't be viewed in Canada."

On August 1, Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, made good on its threat: News content is not visible anymore on its Canadian pages, undistinctive from its source or whether it comes from a Canadian or a foreign media. The group intends to protest – and ultimately escape – the so-called "C-18" law, passed by the Canadian Parliament on June 22, which aims to force digital giants to negotiate financial agreements with the publishers whose content they distribute.

After more than a month of blackout, the traditional press companies mainly using social media as a marketing tool to increase their subscription numbers, remain discreet about the immediate impact of such a blockage. But the pure players are already feeling its devastating effects.

Philippe Lamarre, founder and CEO of Urbania, a digital media group, noted a 35% drop in traffic to his site in August. "For my target audience of 18-35-year-olds, we no longer exist," he commented. "Young people are used to seeing journalistic content come to them by scrolling through their Facebook or Instagram feeds. They are no longer exposed to any information." While this media owner is concerned about this "democratic risk," he is above all aware of the urgent need to adapt his distribution strategy. 

In June, the country's media –including the Canadian Association of Broadcasters – unanimously applauded the adoption of the law, hailing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's desire to restore the balance of power with the digital heavyweights (accused of enriching themselves at their expense), by capturing up to 80% of some C$14 billion (€9.8 billion) in Canadian online advertising revenue on their platforms alone in 2022 .

But facing Meta's intransigence – which prefers to make them invisible and do without their content – concerns have now taken over the initial conversation. The hope of receiving a few hundred million dollars in "fair compensation" promised by the law is decreasing. Behind the scenes, and as they continue to show their solidarity with the new Canadian legislation, many media executives are urging the government to find a way out. To date, however, no compromise seems to be in sight.

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