Tom Wainwright, The Economist's tech and media editor, delves into the contentious Meta v Canada news dispute, revealing how regulations meant to aid publishers are backfiring. Catherine Nixie, Britain correspondent for The Economist, reflects on the legacy of Shirley Conran, whose influential works empowered women in diverse areas. They also discuss the stark contrasts between American and European workers, emphasizing differing attitudes toward work-life balance, vacation norms, and labor rights.
Canadian law intended to benefit news publishers by charging social media platforms resulted in reduced traffic for publishers.
News outlets in Canada had to find innovative ways to engage audiences directly after being blocked on social media platforms.
Deep dives
Meta Refuses to Pay for News Links in Canada
The Canadian government passed a law requiring social media giants like Meta to pay for showing links to news outlets. Meta, owner of Facebook, refused to comply, resulting in blocked media sites for Canadian users. While news publishers experienced decreased web traffic, Meta's overall user engagement remained unaffected.
Impact of Facebook Ban on News Publishers in Canada
News publishers in Canada, such as Maureen Gugu, faced significant traffic reduction after their sites were blocked on Facebook. Smaller publishers, like Gugu Gueher's News, experienced a drastic decline in viewership. The ban disrupted indigenous community connectivity in Canada, affecting the circulation of news and articles.
Challenges and Adaptations of News Outlets in Response to Facebook Ban
News outlets in Canada, like Energetic City, innovated by setting up newsletters and apps to engage readers post-Facebook ban. Utilizing methods like QR codes on posters and paid ads, some outlets managed to recover lost traffic. Publishers had to find new strategies to reach audiences directly in the absence of social media platforms.
A bid to squeeze money from social-media platforms that link to news content has backfired: what was intended to help publishers is instead harming them. America’s workers still work more than Europe’s; what is changing is where they do it (9:44). And remembering Shirley Conran, whose books were more than merely saucy: they helped women with everything from money to mathematics (16:22).