The controversy centers around the Australian media outlet Australia Today, which reported that its social media pages were blocked in Canada shortly after airing a press conference featuring India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and his Australian counterpart Penny Wong. This incident occurred amid heightened diplomatic tensions between India and Canada, particularly following allegations made by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau regarding India’s involvement in the killing of a Sikh separatist. The blocking of Australia Today was perceived by some as an act of censorship, leading to accusations of hypocrisy regarding freedom of speech from Indian officials.
Claim
The claim made by Australia Today and supported by Indian officials is that Canada blocked the outlet’s social media pages in retaliation for its coverage of Jaishankar’s remarks, suggesting selective censorship against pro-India content. This claim has been described as false.
Fact
The actual fact is that the inability to access Australia Today’s content on Facebook and Instagram in Canada is due to a policy implemented by Meta (the parent company of Facebook) in response to Canada’s Online News Act, which restricts news content sharing on social media platforms. This policy has been in effect since 2023 and affects all news outlets, not just Australia Today. The Canadian government clarified that it did not impose any bans on the outlet; rather, it was Meta’s decision that led to the restrictions.
The top sources attributing this fact include:
- Boomlive
- The Indian Express
- Moneycontrol
Conclusion
This fact check falls under the category of False Content, as the claim that Canada specifically blocked Australia Today for airing Jaishankar’s comments is misleading and does not reflect the underlying reality of Meta’s broader policy affecting all news content in Canada.
Statement from The Australia Today:
— The Australia Today (@TheAusToday) November 7, 2024
We at @TheAusToday would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to every #news outlet, #journalist, and #supporter who stood by us during a challenging time. The recent restriction and ban on our interview with Indian External Affairs Minister… pic.twitter.com/53UTd5Le19
