It appears that Meta, the giant social media company, blocking news for users of its platforms in Canada is affecting how Canadians, including Quebecers, consume news.

According to a survey conducted by the Digital Transformation Academy at Laval University in Quebec City, 29% of Quebecers have changed how they obtain news since Meta, which owns platforms like Facebook and Instagram, took this step on August 20, 2023.

This percentage rises to 61% among people aged between 18 and 34 years old.

Also, the percentage of people who prefer social media as their primary source of news has declined from 42% in 2022 to 38% this year.

Meanwhile, news websites have become the primary source of news for about 40% of adults, i.e., those aged 18 and older, an increase of 4 percentage points compared to last year.

The survey also indicated a decline in trust in news on social media, especially among people aged 18 to 34 years.

Trust in news from traditional media has remained stable among Quebecers.

On the other hand, Quebecers have become less inclined to pay for news from the media, with their percentage dropping by 10 percentage points in one year, from 26% in 2022 to 16% in 2023.

The Quebecers most willing to pay for news are those aged between 18 and 24, at a rate of 27% for this age group.

The survey included 1,220 adult residents of Quebec and was conducted by the Digital Transformation Academy at Laval University between September 5 and 30. Since it was conducted online, it does not have a margin of error.

It is noted that Meta announced on June 22, 2023, its decision to block news for all users in Canada on its social media platforms before the Canadian online news law came into effect.

The law requires giant tech companies like Meta and Google to pay Canadian news outlets for publishing their journalistic content on social media platforms.