Tuesday July 11, 2023 | LANGFORD, BC [Updated 8:25 pm]
PUBLISHER’S NOTE: by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
As of June 22, 2023 Island Social Trends is no longer posting our original authentic news articles on Facebook (we do continue to post on Twitter and LinkedIn).
The federal government suspended its ad campaign from Facebook (owned by Meta), as mentioned by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last week. Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez also said that Canada — as a sovereign nation — would not be bullied by Meta and Google. “The conduct of these companies is absolutely disgraceful,” said Trudeau in response to a media question last week.
BC Government drops Facebook:
And now today Premier David Eby has ordered the BC government to pull its advertising from Facebook and Instagram (except for on wildfire public safety issues), in retaliation for a decision by Meta to block Canadian news sources.
“Local media creates much of the content that tech giants have relied on to build their business models, and many British Columbians now rely on social media to get their news. Meta’s decision to cut off that access is totally unacceptable,” Eby said in a statement, as reported in The Orca.
“To send a strong message to Meta that journalism is a vital public service and access to news should never be blocked, our government has decided to stop all advertising on Facebook and Instagram – with a limited exception for critical health and safety information.”
BC Government background statement:
The BC Premier’s office has provided this background, July 11:
“The Province is taking steps to defend people’s access to local news on social media by implementing a new interim advertising policy following Meta’s decision to block Canadian news on its platforms.
The Government of B.C. will now only publish ads related to public emergencies or public-health concerns on Facebook and Instagram. This includes ads about wildfire prevention and preparedness.
Meta announced it will block Canadian news on its platforms due to the new federal Online News Act, which became law on June 22, 2023. The act, which is expected to come into force within six months, will require the largest digital platforms, including Meta and Google, to bargain fairly with Canadian news businesses and pay for the use of their content.
Google has also said it will block Canadian news when the act comes into force, but the company is in discussions with the federal government. The Province will continue advertising on Google as these conversations continue.
The Province will review and update its interim advertising policy as needed as the situation evolves.”
Reasons why Island Social Trends has dropped use of Facebook:
As of June 22, Island Social Trends stopped posting news on Facebook.
- Meta (Facebook’s parent company) is saying they will block news distribution to Canadian users in response to the House of Commons passing legislation (Bill C18) which will require tech giants to make compensation agreements with news publishers for distribution of content generated by those publishers; and
- For at least a decade Facebook (and Google, and other large social media platforms) have been chewing away at the traditional news publishing business model, and it makes no sense to continue feeding the hand that bites.
You have free access to news:
We are proud of our continued open-access to news as posted here within IslandSocialTrends.ca.
Owner/publisher and editor Mary P Brooke has kept her online news portal afloat through attention to producing good journalism (with loyal subscribers and advertisers who respect that), but the business model has been badly broken, piece by piece, over the last 10 years, in the face of the onslaught of businesses and government placing their ads where they are told they get more exposure.
Brooke has always believed that it’s the power of *who* is reading these pages (i.e. people with an impactful sphere of influence) that matters.
Businesses who fall prey to ad sales pressure about SEO (search engine optimization) and number of hits are also tipping the scales against smaller independent news outlets. Island Social Trends has refused from day one to play the search engine game which only escalates supported by big dollars.
Island Social Trends is relaunching a print edition this summer, to reach our readers ‘on the ground’ in the community. Inquire to advertising@islandsocialtrends.com if you wish to advertise or have free printed copies in your store or lobby.
News by Island Social Trends is also posted daily on Twitter @IslandSocTrends where many professional communities (including government, community leaders, businesses, and media) post in regular discourse on a wide range of social, economic and political issues.
Many other news outlets also post their news for free on their own websites, including daily newspapers, radio stations and TV stations. This would have been unimaginable 15 years ago, but the entire business model of publishing news has been decimated by social media.
Supporting independent journalism:
Island Social Trends believes that news and information should be available to all, as part of a healthy democracy. That’s why you can access news here at IslandSocialTrends.ca .
But that is a costly venture — for time to cover stories in real time (i.e. be active as professional media), maintain a sophisticated online portal, archive all news and photos, and soon again also produce a print edition for distribution in the community.
As a business, we rely on subscriptions and advertising in order to continue delivering independent journalism to the south Vancouver Island region. | ABOUT ISLAND SOCIAL TRENDS
Subscriptions and advertisements:
- SUBSCRIPTIONS: We encourage our readers to support the independent journalism produced here at Island Social Trends with paid Premium Subscriptions (sign up and pay online or request invoice by email to subscriptions@islandsocialtrends.com). Subscribers receive an ENews Digest by email, and will receive a PDF of the upcoming bi-weekly print edition.
- ADVERTISEMENTS: We also encourage businesses, community leaders and governments who rely upon (and benefit by) the provision of free news coverage to become advertisers within IslandSocialTrends.ca (as well as our upcoming print edition), by placing advertisements (for products, services, or just branding/messaging to show your support for the process of news in a democracy). Ads are welcome in this online portal or in our upcoming bi-weekly print edition. Call 250-217-5821 for information.
===== RELATED:
Island Social Trends drops Facebook (June 22, 2023)
Langford launches Facebook page & online community forum (June 21, 2023)