To be clear, this is good news for all given that the alternative was bad for news outlets, the government, Canadians, and Google. But while this is a far better outcome than the blocked links, this is hardly an example of good government policy.
The takeaway from the decision is obvious: registration is the first step toward regulation with the Commission already envisioning the prospect of regulating a wide range of services.
While the government is still talking tough, the Online News Act has been an utter disaster, leading to millions in lost revenues with cancelled deals, reduced traffic for Canadian media sites, and declining investment in media in Canada.
