Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau criticized Meta today, Monday, for banning the sharing of local news on its platforms amid wildfires, stating that updating information during a crisis is crucial. Speaking at a press conference held in Prince Edward Island in the Atlantic, which was broadcast on television, he said, "Facebook prioritizes profit over people's safety," adding that the company's actions are "unreasonable." Trudeau remarked, "It is time we expect more from companies raking in billions of dollars from Canadians like Facebook."
Trudeau's comments represent the latest attack from the government on Meta, which began this month banning all users in Canada from posting news on its platforms, Facebook and Instagram, in response to new legislation requiring giant internet companies to pay for news articles. Federal Liberal cabinet ministers described the ban last week as a reckless and irresponsible decision. Some individuals fleeing the wildfires complained to local media that the ban prevented them from sharing critical information about the fires.
Earlier, a spokesperson for the company noted that Canadians could still access information from official government agencies, emergency services, and non-profit organizations on the platform. Facebook also activated the "safety status" feature, allowing users to post that they are safe following a natural disaster or crisis.
