By Canadian Press

Rodriguez leaves door open to regulating Meta’s new social media platform Threads

Jul 12, 2023 | 1:56 PM

OTTAWA – Canada’s Heritage Minister says he’s leaving the door open to regulating new social media platform Threads under a bill forcing Google and Meta to pay publishers for content they link to or repurpose.

Pablo Rodriguez says he’s looking at how Meta’s new social network could fit into regulations sparked by the Online News Act, but won’t have a better idea until specifics around its implementation are worked out.

The text and images platform has garnered at least 100 million users since it sprang up last week amid growing tensions between its parent company and the federal government over compensation for media companies.

In response to the Online News Act, Meta has promised to block access to news from Canadian publishers on its platforms.

Rodriguez says he is “very disappointed” by Facebook’s stance, which he called “irresponsible.”

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He is more pleased with Google, which has also said it will block news from Canadian publishers, but has remained in discussion with the government about what Big Tech regulation could look like.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on July 12, 2023.

The Canadian Press