MPs grill Google execs on decision to block news access

It may have warned publicly of consequences, but Google has not yet decided what it will do if Parliament adopts controversial legislation to force online companies to pay Canadian news organizations for content, a top executive with the tech giant told members of Parliament Thursday.

Testifying before the heritage committee on the company's decision to run a test that blocked an estimated 1.1 million Canadian IP addresses from accessing some news for five weeks earlier this year, Kent Walker, Google's president of global affairs, said the company still hopes Parliament will amend the proposed legislation.

"We are continuing to raise concerns about it, that's absolutely right. We think there's a better model," Walker said when Bloc Québécois MP Martin Champoux asked him if the company would respect Bill C-18 or block some news content in Canada.

"We have not reached a final decision about what business decisions we might have to take."

Walker's comments are the latest developments in the controversy over the Online News Act, also known as Bill C-18. The legislation would oblige online companies to provide financial compensation to Canadian news organizations —  possibly including the CBC — for posting their content on its platforms.

In February, Google blocked 3.3 per cent of Canadian users from accessing content on its site. In March, the company said it was a "test" to determine how to adjust to the provisions of the new law. It said it only blocked content for fewer than four per cent of Canadian users.

In a statement sent to CBC News, Facebook's parent company Meta has warned MPs that Canadians will no longer be able to access news on Facebook or Instagram if C-18 is adopted in its current form.

"In Canada, where the proposed Online News Act would require Meta to pay for links or content that we do not post, and which are not the reason the vast majority of people use our apps, we have said that we will end the availability of news content on Facebook and Instagram for people in Canada if the law is passed in its current form," Meta spokesperson Lisa Laventure said. "We took a similar position in the U.S. last year."

C-18 has passed the House of Commons. Earlier this week, it passed second reading in the Senate and was referred to the Senate committee on transport and communications.

Richard Gingras, vice-president of news at Google, told MPs on the committee the news blockade was the result of a random test meant to determine the potential impact if C-18 is implemented. He said the company does tests all the time and insisted it did not target specific users based on their organizations or professions.

Gingras and Walker took the opportunity to repeat the company's statements about the legislation — which they warned could boost misinformation and clickbait online.

Gingras said Google News sends millions of visitors to news sites and costs millions to operate but doesn't bring the company any revenue.

"If we must pay publishers for simply linking to their sites, making us lose money with every click, it would be reasonable for us or any business to reconsider why we would continue to do so," he said.

Gingras said C-18 would subsidize legacy media organizations but it wouldn't do as much to help new and emerging media organizations.

"It would make it more difficult for digitally innovative, entrepreneurial journalists and publishers," he said.

Gingras and Walker said they would prefer a model that sees companies like theirs pay into a fund for media outlets.

The company came under fire from Liberal MP Chris Bittle and NDP MP Peter Julian over the fact that one of its subsidiaries provided funding to a group which also opposed Bill C-18.

"We know of one group here in Canada that was astroturfing, taking money from one of your subsidiary companies," said Bittle. "Can you provide me with a list of names of entities and individuals that you are currently paying directly or in kind to advocate against Canadian legislation?"

Walker defended the funding, saying the company supports a variety of organizations and is simply helping groups that want to participate in public debate.