Google Reaches $100M Agreement with Canada in Response to the Online News Act

In June 2023, the Canadian Government passed the Online News Act. This legislation requires digital platforms, including search engines and social networking services, to compensate online news publishers for reproducing or facilitating access to their content.

Both Google and Meta, which together account for 80% of Canada’s online advertising revenue, opposed the Act. In response, Meta began limiting Canadian news content on its platforms in August 2023.

Google initially warned that it would also remove links to Canadian news sources. However, after extensive negotiations, Google and the Canadian Government reached an agreement on November 29, 2023. Under this agreement, Google will contribute $100 million CAD annually to a fund that will be distributed among publishers.

This agreement is a significant development in the ongoing global discussion about the responsibility of tech giants in supporting news publishers whose content is shared on their platforms.

Author: Cristin Hunt, 2023/2024 Articling Student-at-Law