Chandigarh/Ontario: Several Indian media outlets have reported that the Government of Canada has blocked the social media handles of Australia Today, a pro-India news outlet based in Australia. These reports, following a briefing by India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), have sparked confusion and misinformation, seems incorrect.
On November 7, 2024, during a regular media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal was asked about the status of Australia Today’s social media presence in Canada. Jaiswal responded by claiming that the social media pages of the outlet were “blocked” in Canada shortly after it carried a press conference featuring India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and his Australian counterpart Penny Wong.
In his response, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had criticized Canada’s approach to freedom of speech, calling the actions “hypocritical.” Indian media outlets quickly picked up the statement, with no basic fact-checking done by the Indian press.
Fact Check: No Block by Canada
Sikh Siyasat News (SSN) has confirmed from multiple sources in Canada that Australia Today’s website remains accessible in Canada. This includes articles covering India’s External Affairs Minister Jaishankar’s recent visit to Australia.
It it notable that social media platforms like Meta (Facebook) and X (formerly Twitter) have restricted the display of news content after Canadian government enacted Online News Act (2023). The Online News Act requires social media platforms to share a portion of the revenue generated from news content posted on their services with news organizations. In response, Meta and X have taken the step of restricting the display of news content on their platforms in Canada, affecting both local and international outlets.
While this is not a government-imposed ban, Indian media outlets mistakenly reported it as such. The restrictions are a direct result of policy change by social media platforms in wake of Canada’s Online News laws and not a decision by the Canadian government to block the outlet’s content or social media pages.
The Canadian government has not issued any formal statement regarding the alleged ban on Australia Today, but sources indicate that there is no official action blocking the outlet’s content or its access in Canada.
Canada-India Diplomatic Tensions:
This possible misreporting in Indian media comes at a time of heightened diplomatic tensions between Canada and India. Recently, Canadian authorities have accused the Indian government of being involved in the targeted killings of Sikh activists in Canada, prompting widespread international concern. In addition to these allegations, Canada has also raised the issue of a broader organized campaign of violence and criminal activities linked to Indian interests within its borders. These accusations have led to a significant strain in bilateral relations, with both countries expelling diplomats in a rare public confrontation. Against this backdrop, the erroneous reports about Australia Today‘s social media being blocked by Canada are particularly sensitive, as they come amid ongoing scrutiny and criticism of India’s actions abroad.
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਪੜ੍ਹੋ – ਕਨੇਡਾ ਨੇ ਭਾਰਤ ਪੱਖੀ “ਆਸਟਰੇਲੀਆ ਟੂਡੇ” ਉੱਤੇ ਕੋਈ ਰੋਕ ਨਹੀਂ ਲਗਾਈ