Big Tech is controlled by powerful elites, and they don't have preservation of Canada's democracy in mind. Independent media exposed the Facebook- Cambridge Analytica scandal and Facebook paid a $725M fine. Bill C-18 in the Canadian parliament is intended to support some form of viable commercial model for Canadian news organizations. Who knows what will happen to Canadian democracy if the country looses independent media to Big Tech and the oligarchs in control.  Big Tech is siphoning off billions of dollars of advertising revenue away from Canadian media. So news, and democracy, won't survive without action.

In 2021, Australian regulators had similar concerns about Big Tech and drafted a similar law. Public support was strong, and Big Tech listened to public opinion. After a brief ban, Facebook and Google drafted more than 30 commercial agreements at approximately $200 million in value to Australian news organizations, according to Australia Institute's Centre for Responsible Technology.

This August, Facebook and Google imposed a draconian news bans on Canadians, in an effort to sway public opinion against Bill C-18.  Facebook maintained these bans even as wildfires swept communities, and people needed news so urgently.  News companies joined forces to lobby the Competition Bureau against the Big Tech to oppose the news ban.

You can do your part by signing this petition, to show Big Tech they shouldn't bully Canada over bill C-18. They need to hear that they serve the public, not vice-versa.