Canada’s telecom watchdog has launched a public consultation process for one of its newer responsibilities, the Online News Act.
The act requires online organizations distributing news content to pay publishers for their work. It applies to platforms that get more than 20 million monthly visitors in Canada and make over $1 billion in annual revenue.
Google and Meta are the only two companies to meet the requirements at this time.
Google previously agreed to contribute $100 million to the act annually. Meta has not reached a similar agreement with the federal government, which led it to pull news access for Canadians on Facebook and Instagram.
The act received royal assent in June 2023, and regulations went into force in December. Days before this occurred, the Department of Canadian Heritage released its final regulatory framework.
It directed the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to create a bargaining framework for negotiations, handle complaints, and create a code of conduct.
This consultation focuses on the bargaining process and how to handle complaints. The CRTC says it will launch a second consultation focusing on the code of conduct at a later date this year.
Interested parties have until April 12th to submit comments.
Source: CRTC
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