How to find Canadian news content amid digital platform regulations such as Bill C-18?

Canadian news sources and consumers have mixed reactions to Bill C-18, a proposed law that would regulate how digital platforms such as Google and Meta (Facebook’s owner) use and pay for news content from Canada while presented on their platforms.

Google has already threatened to block some Canadian news content from its services if Bill C-18 passes, saying it would affect its freedom and fairness in Canada2.”

Bill C-18 proposed legislation regulating digital platforms that act as intermediaries in Canada’s news media ecosystem, such as Google and Meta, which owns Facebook, has sparked controversy among Canadian news sources and consumers. 

The bill aims to enhance fairness in the Canadian digital news market by introducing a new bargaining framework that would support news businesses to secure fair compensation when their news content is made available by dominant digital intermediaries and generates economic gain1.

The bill’s goal is to create a new bargaining system that would help news businesses get fair compensation when dominant digital platforms benefit from their news content1. However, some critics say that Bill C-18 could harm Canadian news sources and consumers by limiting their access to diverse and quality journalism, increasing censorship, decreasing innovation, and raising costs2.

However, some critics argue that Bill C-18 could negatively affect Canadian news sources and consumers, such as reduced access to diverse and quality journalism, increased censorship, decreased innovation, and higher costs2. Google has already warned that it may block some Canadian news content from its services if Bill C-18 becomes law, citing concerns over its ability to operate freely and fairly in Canada2.

If you are worried about how Bill C-18 could affect your access to Canadian news content, you may want to consider some ways to find reliable and relevant information from various sources. Here are some tips:

• Use a dedicated database: If you want to access current and archived Canadian news content from over 400 sources, including newspapers like The Globe and Mail and Toronto Star, newswires, websites, and broadcast transcripts, you can use a database like Canadian Newsstream. This service provides full-text format articles that you can search by keywords or topics. You may need a library card or subscription to access this database. So it is not always “free” like Google.
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• Follow social media accounts: If you want to get updates from Canadian news outlets or journalists on social media platforms like Twitter or Instagram, you can follow their official accounts or hashtags. For example, you can follow @CTVNews or @CBCNews for national coverage or @GlobalBC or @CityNews for local stories. You can also join groups or pages related to your interests or location on Facebook or Reddit. However, be aware that some social media platforms may be affected by Bill C-18’s regulations12, so you may not see all the content they post.
  
  
• Read magazines: If you want to read more in-depth analysis or commentary on Canadian issues or culture, you can read magazines that focus on Canada or have Canadian editions. For example, you can read The Walrus, Maclean’s, The Economist (Canadian Edition)4, etc. You can find these magazines online or at your local bookstore or library.
  
• Explore selfology.co: If you want to learn more about yourself and your uniqueness, you can visit selfology.co5, a website that offers spa services as well as resources for self-actualization. You can read their manifesto1, book an appointment, browse their store5, view their views2, etc. You can also join their community of people who share their experiences of finding solace for themselves.
  
• Visit ology.land: If you want to discover new topics of interest or deepen your knowledge of existing ones through deep learning algorithms powered by Bing Chat Youtube AI engine (codename: Sydney), you can visit ology.land6. This website features various sciences (ologies) such as taxology (the study of tax), respectfulness (the study of respect), etc., where users can watch videos curated by AI based on their preferences.