NDP to multibillionaire web giants: "Stop the bullying!"

In reaction to Meta blocking Canadian news on its platforms and Google’s plan to follow suit in retaliation to C-18 which will regulate digital news intermediaries to enhance fairness in the news market, NDP critic for Canadian Heritage Peter Julian issued the following statement:

“Over the last few weeks, we’ve witnessed the result of years of Liberals’ inaction with multibillionaire web giants doing what they want when they want. News outlets and media organizations are struggling, and web giants are playing games with their future. This is shameful.

When the time comes to draw the line and ask them to pay their fair share, Meta and Google resort to bullying tactics showing Canadians their true colours: if they don’t like the rules, they won’t follow them—even if those rules are in place to protect good quality journalism and Canadians.

It’s ironic to see these ultra-rich web giants act so fast to block reliable news information from Canadians when they don’t get their way, and yet are not as eager to stop the festering hate speech on their platforms.

While these billion-dollar web giants see their wealth rise by the billions, Canadians who play by the rules still can't get ahead. Enough with the bullying. Enough with the free passes to multibillionaires who think they should have their way instead of following rules like the rest of us.

Liberals and Conservatives may have given a free pass to these billionaires for years, but New Democrats will never cave to billionaires who think bullying is the way to get what they want.”