Ned YeungJul 31, 2023

This was delivered to me as a pop-up on Facebook. I have never in my life seen so many billionaires so heavily invested in pushing Conservative politics as this past year. #cdnpoli

For those unaware, news is shared on Social Media through links, which are unaffected by Canada's Online News Act. Links are not publication. Notice how Meta owns Threads, yet they are miraculously not restricted in any way? Only Facebook and Instagram is, because this is a show of force and power, not a real issue.

Show threadNed YeungJul 31, 2023

Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez said Canadians will not be intimidated by these tactics.

Paul Deegan of News Media Canada said "Meta's decision to 'unfriend' Canada by denying access to trusted sources of news for some of their users, as wildfires burn and when public safety is at stake, is irresponsible and tone deaf," said Deegan.
"This hard-nose lobbying tactic is more evidence of the power imbalance that exists between dominant platforms and publishers."

#cdnpoli
https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/meta-instagram-canada-online-news-act-explainer-news-1.6914154

Your questions about Meta and other social media giants blocking news in Canada, explained | CBC News

Some Instagram users in Canada are finding their access to news accounts restricted as Meta and other social media companies prepare for the country's Online News Act to come into effect.

CBC
Show threadNed Yeung

Rodriguez has said Google and Meta do not have obligations under the law because the regulatory process is just beginning.
"We're deeply convinced that Google's and Facebook's concerns can be resolved through the regulatory process. If Facebook truly believes that news has no value, they can say so at the negotiating table."
"Threats to pull news instead of complying with the laws in our country only highlight the power that platforms hold over news organizations, both big and small."

#cdnpoli

Jul 31, 2023 at 7:39pmWeb
Show threadNed YeungJul 31, 2023

In light of the BBC's recent addition to Mastodon with their own top-level social.bbc domain, I think this is of particular importance for the CBC to join Mastodon. So far they are resistant, as evidenced by this statement:

"In an editor's blog, CBC News editor-in-chief Brodie Fenlon has suggested audiences follow the broadcaster on TikTok and other apps, such as Gem and CBC Listen."

The decentralized Fediverse is exactly where CBC should be, especially with this attack on Canadian journalism.

Show threadJoe Carr 🇨🇦Jul 31, 2023
@ned ALL Canadian news agencies should be on mstdn.ca or another Canadian instance.
Show threadgeobeckJul 31, 2023
@joetourist @ned
It would be interesting to see how long it took Postmedia outlets to get fediblocked from actively moderated instances.
Show threadNed YeungJul 31, 2023

@geobeck @joetourist

Haha, I live to see that! :D

Show threadChris Alemany🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇸Aug 1, 2023
@geobeck @joetourist @ned 😂 yes
Show threadJasmine LiskaJul 31, 2023
@joetourist @ned So far, I just know of @winnipegfreepress, @thenarwhal, and @thetyee. It’s not a bad start (though not great). Are there any other Canadian news sites on mastodon?
Show threadMarilyn C | 🦝 🌱 ✏️ 🎭Jul 31, 2023
@jliska I put this on Medium in April so there could easily be more now, but here's a list of the outlets and individual journalists I could find back then: https://medium.com/@marilync/canadian-journalism-on-mastodon-15eeb4f5b9df
Canadian Journalism on Mastodon: A list of outlets and journalists who've joined the fediverse | Medium

With CBC pausing their use of Twitter, I thought it was a good time to have a look at what Canadian journalists have active accounts on Mastodon.

Medium
Show threadTonya CanningAug 1, 2023
@jliska @joetourist @ned @winnipegfreepress @thenarwhal @thetyee The fabulous @HalifaxExaminer
Show threadJasmine LiskaAug 1, 2023
@TonyaCanning @joetourist @ned @HalifaxExaminer That's really good to know! Thanks!
Show threadeyrea 🇨🇦Aug 1, 2023
@joetourist @ned The larger ones could easily set up their own. I mean hell, Not Just Bikes did. Yes, he works in technology, but the bigger media have their own IT departments.
Show threadjaymerryfield Aug 1, 2023
@joetourist @ned I actually disagree, wholeheartedly. Each media org should endeavour to run their own instance that is just for their journalists and employees, so that they are able to offer verification to their own people who need it. It also allows their journalists and researchers to go to any instance they like for reporting purposes without concerns about running afoul with specific server rules and blocklists.
Show threadJoe Carr 🇨🇦Aug 1, 2023
@jaymerryfield @ned A great idea for the larger news agencies to run their own instance, but smaller agencies don't have resources to do that.
Show threadFrançois Caron 🇨🇦Aug 1, 2023
@joetourist @ned Or create their own branded instance. This will make it easy to guarantee the authenticity of their journalists and their links to news reports.
Show threadPhoenixSerenityJul 31, 2023
@ned CBC is sticking to corporate shit. Even their other SMs are weak as heck.
Show threadMarc "ACAB" GodinJul 31, 2023
@msquebanh @ned Cue the tiktocker pointing at text that says "Did you know landlords are people, too?" *dance move* "Here are 5 ways to help your local police 'clean up' your parks, if you know what I mean!"
Show threadJeff MOVED > [email protected]Jul 31, 2023
@ned I suspect their dual funding nature is to blame again. Gem/TikTok can provide ad revenue.
Show threadNed YeungJul 31, 2023
@jeffhorton Yes! Very astute observation.
Show threadRichard W. Woodley ELBOWS UP 🇨🇦🌹🚴‍♂️📷 🗺️Jul 31, 2023
@ned Forget TikTok create a Roku app for #CBCGem
Show threadProf Prachi SrivastavaAug 1, 2023

@ned @peterdeppisch

The most bizarre comment by the CBC given that TikTok is banned on government devices. As reported by... the CBC.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-tiktok-ban-1.6773742

Ontario bans TikTok on government devices | CBC News

The Ontario government is banning TikTok from all provincial government-issued devices, the Treasury Board president said on Thursday.

CBC
Show threadChris Alemany🇺🇦🇨🇦🇪🇸Aug 1, 2023
@ned yes!!
Show threadBrian GrinterAug 1, 2023
@ned @blaine hoping ABC does the same
Show threadChristopher Aug 1, 2023

@ned

Like other broadcasters and publishers, they're looking for a payday from big social media players, hence why they're pushing Canadians towards TikTok.

Show threadJohn MeadowsAug 1, 2023
@ned Agree 100%! (CBC is being arrogant expecting people to install dedicated apps just for their content. I’m surprised they still have an RSS feed.)
Show threadDanny HAug 1, 2023
@Jgmeadows @ned I think you are confusing incompetence for arrogance.
Show threadNed YeungAug 1, 2023
@Dhimmel @Jgmeadows I think it's both. Incompetence borne out of arrogance.
Show threadDanny HAug 1, 2023
@ned @Jgmeadows I can buy into that.
Show threadJohn MeadowsAug 1, 2023
@Dhimmel @ned One is often found in the company of the other. (And let’s not forget complacency.)
Show threadGordon J HoltslanderJul 31, 2023
@ned Canadian news providers could follow the BBC's example and setup a Mastodon server to host their news, and even focus specific topis to dedicated feeder accounts #canpoli #news https://social.bbc/about
BBC Mastodon

This is an experimental Mastodon instance run by BBC Research and Development.

Mastodon hosted on social.bbc