The federal government urged Facebook to pick up the phone to discuss Ottawa’s online news bill, as Liberal MPs stepped up their attack on the tech giant on Tuesday for threatening to block Canadians’ access to news in protest of the proposed law. Facebook warned last week that it may stop Canadians from viewing and sharing news in response to Bill C-18. If passed, the bill would force Facebook and Google to pay news organizations to carry links to their articles, which the platforms say is unfair. Speaking to reporters in the Commons on Tuesday, Chris Bittle, parliamentary secretary to Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez, accused Facebook of “threatening the well-being of Canadians” by suggesting it could use the same tactics it used in Australia last year. In response to a similar Australian law forcing tech giants to pay for news usage, Facebook has temporarily blocked Australians’ access to news sites on its platforms. The platform lifted the ban days later after an Australian minister held talks with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and agreed to make changes to the proposed law. Mr. Bittle and two other Liberal MPs slammed Facebook for threatening a similar move on Bill C-18. In Australia, Facebook had “over-blocked” access, Mr Bittle said, and prevented Australians from accessing vital public information sites such as the fire and emergency services department and a suicide prevention page. “In Canada, Facebook has stepped up again to threaten the well-being of Canadians, to threaten our security, to threaten our information online,” Mr. Bittle said. Online news bill will contribute $329 million annually to Canadian news, PBO report says C-18 online news account will channel most funds to CBC and other broadcasters – not newspapers On Friday at the Commons heritage committee, he accused Facebook executives of “robber-baron tactics” by threatening to withdraw Canadians’ access to news sites — a charge he repeated to reporters. He said if Facebook carried out its threat in Canada, people would not react well to a major foreign player coming in and pushing Canadians. Facebook declined to comment. However, Laura Scaffidi, Mr Rodriguez’s representative, appeared to offer an olive branch to the platform, signaling the government is ready to discuss changes to the bill’s text. “There is still an opportunity for Facebook to continue to work with the government and MPs,” he said. “Tech giants know we are open to collaboration, so we look forward to further discussions with them.” Anthony Housefather, Liberal member of the Commons heritage committee, said it was unacceptable for Facebook to threaten lawmakers and millions of Canadians to try to force changes to Bill C-18. But he also suggested the government might be willing to talk to Facebook about changes to the bill’s wording. “The law is not perfect. Amendments are still possible,” he said. The Liberals accused the Tories of shielding Facebook from tough questions when two executives appeared before the heritage committee on Friday. Bloc Québécois MP Martin Champoux, the committee’s vice-chair, said on Twitter that the Conservatives are trying to destroy C-18. He called for the online news bill to be amended and passed. Peter Julian, the NDP’s heritage critic, said Facebook’s decision to point out it could block access to news “doesn’t help their case at all.” He said the tech giants were “making huge profits” and should help support news, including local papers. Conservative heritage critic Rachael Thomas was unavailable for comment. Marc Dinsdale, head of media partnerships for Canada at Facebook, told the committee on Friday that if the platform decides to block access to news in Canada — if the bill passes in its current form — it would be open. “If the bill goes through as proposed and we are forced to consider that option … we will try to do it with as much consultation and transparency as possible,” he said.
