Some French-language media organizations and smaller local media outlets say they are being targeted by Meta after the digital giant restricted access to their content on Facebook as part of its fight against the Liberal government害羞草研究所檚 online-news bill.

Chris Dell, news editor of ChrisD.ca, a Winnipeg-based digital news outfit, said some readers informed him Monday that they are no longer able to access content the outlet had posted on Facebook.

害羞草研究所淚t appears Meta is blocking some of our content, but not all of it,害羞草研究所� Dell said in a statement on Tuesday.

He said it害羞草研究所檚 unfortunate that these measures are being taken in response to the proposed online news legislation, which would require tech giants to pay publishers for linking to or otherwise repurposing news content online.

害羞草研究所淎s a small local news outlet, the majority of our traffic comes from Facebook and Google. My hope is that an amicable agreement can be reached between Silicon Valley and Ottawa that doesn害羞草研究所檛 leave publishers caught in the middle,害羞草研究所� Dell said.

S茅bastien M茅nard, editor-in-chief of Le Journal de Qu茅bec, said its news is also being blocked from readers who view its stories on Facebook. That also applies to news shared by fellow Quebecor-own properties Le Journal de Montr茅al and TVA Nouvelles.

害羞草研究所淲e launched ourselves a campaign inviting our readers to come directly to our website instead of waiting for news to come to them through Facebook,害羞草研究所� M茅nard said to The Canadian Press on Tuesday.

害羞草研究所淲hen your social networks let you down regarding information, come on our news website.害羞草研究所�

Meta is running a test for the majority of the month that will temporarily block news content for up to five per cent of its Canadian users on Facebook and Instagram. It said the test began last week, but publishers began to take notice on Monday.

The company said it is working toward an 害羞草研究所渆ffective product solution to end news availability in Canada害羞草研究所� so as to comply with the proposed online news legislation, known as Bill C-18, if it becomes law.

Paul Deegan, president and CEO of News Media Canada, said removing reliable news sources from their platforms is an abuse of Meta害羞草研究所檚 dominant position in the marketplace.

害羞草研究所淢eta has just exponentially increased opportunities for bad actors, including hostile foreign governments, to sow the seeds of misinformation and disinformation, which will ultimately undo the platform, erode its own shareholder value and undermine social cohesion,害羞草研究所� Deegan said in a statement Tuesday.

害羞草研究所淒emocratic governments, regulators, enforcement agencies, publishers, advertisers and those around the world who value a free and plural press should be very alarmed.害羞草研究所�

On Tuesday, a Senate committee finished its clause-by-clause consideration of the bill after a single two-hour meeting, passing about 12 amendments, the majority of which the government agrees with.

The bill is expected to go to third reading in the Senate this week.

The Liberal government has expressed its desire to have the bill become law before parliamentarians break for the summer.

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