This continues to seem like an absolute win for anyone using Facebook in Canada. The key here is that they're not blocking links to Canadian news sites, but to all new sites for users in the country.
That's going to fundamentally change the kind of content users see in their streams.
That is, of course, if Meta actually upholds the blackout of all news sites. Waiting to see what kind of fashy bullshit is actually allowed in still.
What will count as a news site? So obviously ones like Reuters, CBC, The Guardian will be blocked, but what about the disinformation bullshit sites like C0v1dHoAx-Chronicle dot net ? They were only "news" insofar as they could piggyback on reputable information and spread their bile.
I suspect only the fake news sites will wind up on Facebook, furthering the echo chamber of right wing disinformation.
This is exactly what I was thinking too. Actual news has never been the problem; it's the constant flow of trash MeeMaw and PawPaw are sharing as truth that is non-factual and provided by non-news outlets.
Canadian media is a loser, particularly the small and independent media outlets that are more reliant on social media to develop community and build their audience. The loss of Facebook links will take a serious toll and undermine innovative companies in Canada.
Sounds like these are the same "independent media outlets" that have consistently been pushing anti-science, right-wing, anti-women, anti-LGBT lies and disinformation, which gets spread around like a virus on Facebook.
Meta has done us all a favour. 😄
Meta has done us all a favour.
Don’t praise them for doing the bare minimum to curb the endless ragebait politicization they intentionally created.
Trust me, I'm not giving them credit for doing something amazing for the world, because they are an evil corporation.
Their stubbornness, regardless of what Zuk thinks, works out great for us! They've shot themselves in the foot.
I may be some kind of ancient Luddite, but I get news from news apps and not social media.
Apparently I'm even older, I get news from news sites and not news apps
Lies and fake news. Facebook knows news drives their engagement a ton and it going away will kill it.
News from around the world!
Please only post links to actual news sources, no tabloid sites, etc
No NSFW content
No hate speech, bigotry, propaganda, etc