Mon Nov 11 16:06:13 UTC 2024: ## Canadian Government Denies Blocking Australian Media Site Amidst Online News Act Dispute
**New Delhi, November 11, 2024:** An Australian media portal, Australia Today, specializing in Indian diaspora issues, has clarified that it was not “selectively blocked” by the Canadian government, as previously alleged. The clarification comes after a statement from the Canadian Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied any blocking of the site.
Australia Today initially claimed that it was blocked from Facebook and Instagram in Canada following its publication of an interview with India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar. The portal alleged that this was selective blocking, pointing to the continued accessibility of a “Khalistani propaganda” news site on Canadian Meta platforms.
However, following an investigation by Indian fact-checking site “Boom”, it was revealed that Meta’s decision to block all news content on its Canadian platforms was a result of Canada’s “Online News Act”, which aims to regulate Big Tech’s dealings with news outlets. In May 2023, Meta president Nick Clegg announced that the company would cease sharing news content in Canada as a response to the legislation.
The controversy arose after India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson commented on the alleged selective blocking, citing it as a “hypocrisy of Canada towards freedom of speech”. Despite the Canadian government’s denial and the portal’s clarification, the Ministry of External Affairs has yet to respond to the issue.
This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between Canada and media outlets, particularly in the wake of the “Online News Act” and the broader debate surrounding the regulation of social media platforms.
First Piper 