The Canadian government has demanded that Facebook owner Meta lift a "reckless" ban on domestic news from its platforms so people can share information about wildfires in the country. Meta started blocking news on its Facebook and Instagram platforms for all users in Canada this month after a new law came in requiring internet giants to pay for news articles.

Some people fleeing wildfires in areas affected in the country's remote Northwest Territories have complained to domestic media that the ban was stopping them from sharing important data about the fires.

'Reckless choice'

"Meta's reckless choice to block news ... is hurting access to vital information on Facebook and Instagram," Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge said in a social media post. "We are calling on them to reinstate news sharing today for the safety of Canadians facing this emergency. We need more news right now, not less," she said.

Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez earlier said the ban meant people did not have access to crucial information. Chris Bittle, a legislator for the ruling Liberal Party, complained on Thursday that "Meta's actions to block news are reckless and irresponsible."

People affected by the blazes in Yellowknife have reportedly started posting screen shots of information on Facebook since they could not share links to news feeds.

In response, a Meta spokesperson said that the company had activated the "Safety Check" feature on Facebook that allows users to spread the word that they are safe in the wake of a natural disaster or a crisis.

Canadians can use Facebook and Instagram to access content from official government agencies, emergency services and non-governmental organizations, the spokesperson added.

Blocking the news

Meta started blocking Canadians' access to news on its platform at the start of August after Canada brought in its Online News Act, which demands tech firms pay for news on social media.

The bill builds on similar legislation introduced in Australia that aims to bolster the countries' struggling news sector, as the traditional media continues to see advertising dollars disappear and hundreds of publications close amid the rise of big tech companies.

The law requires digital giants to make fair commercial deals with domestic outlets for the news and information that is shared on their platforms.

Last year, a Canadian government report estimated the legislation could see domestic newspapers receive about $250 million per year from digital platforms.

However, Meta said the bill is flawed and based on the "incorrect premise that Meta benefits unfairly from news content shared on our platforms, when the reverse is true."

The standoff is part of a wider international trends of governments trying to make tech firms pay, with Australia being the first to pass such legislation in 2021. Google and Facebook at the time both threatened to cut their services, but eventually struck deals with Australian media firms after amendments were made to the legislation.

In the U.S., the state of California has also considered a similar bill, with Meta also threatening to withdraw services from the state if the law passed.

In Canada's case, Google - which is considering taking similar measures to Meta - has argued that the law is too stringent because it puts a price on news story links displayed in search results and that can apply to outlets that do not produce news.

Meanwhile, Meta says links to news articles make up less than 3 percent of the content on its users' feed, claiming there is little economic incentive to keep allowing news to be shared under the current law.

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said earlier this year that such an argument was "not just flawed - it's dangerous to our democracy."

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