Google Tests Blocking News Content For 4% Of Canadians

Google is conducting tests that block some Canadians' news content in response to a new government bill, Bill C-10.

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Google has started temporarily restricting news results for approximately four percent of randomly selected Canadian users in tests that will last five weeks.

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The decision directly responds to an online news bill called C-18, currently under debate in the Canadian parliament.

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The bill introduced last spring would require internet companies like Google and Facebook to pay news publishers for using their content.

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Bill C-18 is based on similar legislation in Australia and would allow binding arbitration if the tech companies refuse to pay publishers.

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The tests will affect web search and the Discover feature on Android devices. A Google spokesperson confirmed the testing.

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Google has been critical of Bill C-18, also called The Online News Act, since it was proposed in 2022.

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