Commentary
The long-anticipated showdown between Canada and Google on Bill C-18 is nigh. When the imaginary pistols are drawn, and the invisible bullets are fired, the reputation of this country could be shattered beyond reproach.
Bill C-18, or an Act respecting online communications platforms that make news content available to persons in Canada, was first tabled by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberals last June. The proposed bill would establish a “framework through which digital news
intermediary operators and news businesses may enter into agreements respecting news content that is made available by digital news intermediaries.”
In other words, information technology companies like Google, Meta, Apple, and Microsoft would be forced to share any and all revenues of Canadian-based news stories they post on their websites with the original news publishers and media organizations….
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