Due to the Trudeau government's misguided attempts at internet regulation, Canadians can no longer share links to news articles on Facebook and Instagram. Google has announced they will follow suit in blocking news for Canadian users. Michael Geist, an expert in internet law, wrote, "It is difficult to overstate the harm that Bill C-18 will create for the media sector in Canada, with enormous losses that will run into the hundreds of millions of dollars." Who knew that government regulation of the internet could backfire? (Almost everyone)
It is bizarre that Canadian users now have to find ways around government restrictions in order to share news, but here we are. Here are 5 ways it is still possible to share news stories on Facebook.
1. Share a screenshot
This is not ideal, because few people will take the time to find the article and read it. However, if the headline is accurate and you're in a hurry, this does work.
2. Link via the Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is useful for many things, including the Wayback Machine, which preserves webpages for the future. Just plug the URL of the news article into the Wayback Machine search bar, and you'll get a stable copy of the web page which is also sharable on Facebook. The only downside is certain websites are blocked for copyright reasons, such as the National Post.
3. Link via Twitter
Twitter, X, or whatever you want to call it, wasn't targeted by Bill C-18, so links to news are still unrestricted. Find the news agency's account on twitter or share the link on twitter first, then link to the tweet on Facebook.
4. Share news from youtube
Youtube also remains unrestricted (for now). Many major news channels share videos on youtube every day, including CTV News and Global News.
5. Cut up the URL
If you want to link to the actual article, just like the good old days, you'll have to split up the URL with at least 1 space in the middle. Other users can then copy and paste the URL, fix it, and navigate to the website. It's a bit cumbersome, but it works.