Innovation Minister backs Competition Bureau investigation into Meta’s news blocking

The Competition Bureau has confirmed it’s working on examining a complaint against Meta filed by News Media Canada, the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, and CBC/Radio-Canada.

John Power, a senior communications advisor, told the National Post the bureau is working on conducting a “preliminary review.”

“The bureau is gathering information to consider whether this conduct may fall under the Competition Act, including ways that this specific conduct may harm competition.”

The review stems from an application the three organizations filed earlier this week to investigate “Meta’s abuse of its dominant position.”

Meta has begun to pull access to news content for Canadians, following through on a promise it made after Bill C-18 was approved. The online news act will require Meta and Google to pay Canadian publishers to display their content.

I am determined to use every tool at our disposal to ensure that Canadians can have access to reliable news – across all platforms. I fully support the complaint made to the Competition Bureau by Cnd media groups against Meta in their effort to promote a free & independent press. https://t.co/W2VcGaMnQO

— François-Philippe Champagne (FPC) 🇨🇦 (@FP_Champagne) August 9, 2023

The review is a move the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry backs. On Wednesday, François-Philippe Champagne shared the federal government will “use every tool at our disposal to ensure that Canadians can have access to reliable news — across all platforms.”

“I fully support the complaint made to the Competition Bureau by Cnd [sic] media groups against Meta in their effort to promote a free & independent press,” his message on Twitter X concluded.

The Competition Bureau’s review is ongoing, and Power wasn’t able to provide further details on the next steps, the National Post reports.

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