The Canadian law, intended to protect (large, commercial, billionaire-owned) news media in Canada, could end up wrecking it. Most of the coverage around Canada's new media pay-for-links law is saying that Google and Meta are "blocking" access to Canadian news media. They are doing no such thing, no more than I am when I also decide not to link to CTV or the Globe and Mail. They are simply withdrawing a free service being offered to publishers, a service Google notes is valued at $250 million a year. If Google directed a fraction of that traffic my way, I could retire. What I wouldn't do is take Google to court asking for more. Because if we accept the principle that we have to pay for links, that would also wreck the internet. Instead, I would, you know, offer better digital products and services designed for the information age.
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