Under the new legislation, YouTube could be forced by regulators to put a required number of Canadian videos in front of Canadian users to meet arbitrary Can-con rules. 

YouTube’s Director of Product, Todd Beaupré is worried that the Online Streaming Act (C-11) would cause a negative feedback loop. 

In an interview with Independent Canadian Journalist, Brandon Gonez, Todd Beaupré said that this loop would “have a ripple effect through the system, showing that Canadian content is not as engaging and satisfying as other content." 

Beaupré suggested artificially serving up Canadian content to viewers that do not want to see it. He said it "could backfire by reducing how much Canadian content gets recommended to viewers. In fact, today over 90% of the views on Canadian content come from viewers outside of Canada." 

The Online Screening Act, as it is proposed, could force online platforms to promote some content and even downrank or hide other content from users, which could harm a creator’s ability to reach an audience and earning potential. 

Rebel News reporter, William Diaz-Berthiaume, asked Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez about the implications of C-11 on free speech and internet freedom. Our Ottawa reporter also asked Rodriguez if  government regulators are given the ability to force platforms to soft-censor content creators.

‘You are disrespectful,’ was the last answer from Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez to Rebel News reporter William Diaz-Berthiaume after he asked how Bill C-11 promotes freedom of speech.

FULL REPORT by @wdiazberthiaume: https://t.co/kg3SBmOcZE

PETITION: https://t.co/MiSqptlFEs pic.twitter.com/MTb38xMk6n

— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) June 17, 2022

Rodriguez called the polite question disrespectful and instead refused to answer.