Facebook's News Block in Fire-Ravaged Canada Draws Criticism from Justin Trudeau

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau criticized Meta, the parent company of Facebook, for blocking access to news stories on its platform during the ongoing wildfires in Canada. Trudeau called Meta's decision "bad for democracy" and accused the company of prioritizing corporate profits over the dissemination of up-to-date information from local news organizations. Meta's move comes in response to a new Canadian law that requires tech giants to negotiate payment with publishers for content. Trudeau argued that in emergency situations like wildfires, access to local news is crucial. Google has also announced plans to block news in Canada in protest of the law.