By Canadian Press

YouTube warns federal bill could hit digital creators’ earnings from abroad

Mar 25, 2022 | 11:00 AM

OTTAWA — YouTube says Canadian digital creators, including influencers, could lose foreign revenue if the government forces online platforms to promote Canadian content. 

The platform says proposed legislation obliging platforms to promote Canadian content risks downgrading the popularity of that content abroad — and the foreign earnings many Canadian YouTubers rely on.

YouTube fears the proposals in the Online Streaming bill could skew the algorithm it uses to match content with viewers’ personal preferences. 

Michael Geist, a University of Ottawa expert in internet law, says the bill would make platforms like YouTube emphasize Canadian content that people might not usually choose to watch.

If they don’t choose the content they are offered, or dislike it, YouTube’s algorithm, which works across borders, might interpret it as unpopular, which could lead to Canadian creators’ work being promoted less heavily around the world, costing them revenue. 

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Laura Scaffidi, spokeswoman for Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez, says the act does not affect user-generated content and will give online streaming platforms flexibility on how they make Canadian commercial content easier to find.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March, 25, 2022. 

The Canadian Press