Feed: Slashdot
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Title: Quebec To Impose French-Language Quotas On Streaming Giants

Link: https://yro.slashdot.org/story/25/05/21/20372...

Quebec Culture Minister Mathieu Lacombe has introduced Bill 109, which would
require streaming platforms like Netflix and Spotify to feature and
prioritize French-language content. CBC.ca reports: Bill 109 has been in the
works for over a year. It marks the first time that Quebec would set a
"visibility quota" for French-language content on major streaming platforms
such as Netflix, Disney and Spotify. [...] The legislation, titled An Act to
affirm the cultural sovereignty of Quebec and to enact the Act respecting the
discoverability of French-language cultural content in the digital
environment, would apply to every digital platform that offers a service for
watching videos or listening to music and audiobooks online. Those include
Canadian platforms such as Illico, Crave and Tou.tv. It would amend the
Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms to enshrine "the right to
discoverability of and access to original French-language cultural content."
If the bill is adopted, streaming platforms and television manufacturers
would be forced to present interfaces for screening online videos in French
by default. Those interfaces would need to provide access to platforms that
offer original French-language cultural content based on the government's
pending criteria. Financial penalties would be imposed on companies that
don't follow the rules. If the business models of some companies prevent them
from keeping to the letter of the proposed law, companies would be allowed to
enter into an agreement with the Quebec government to set out "substitute
measures" to fulfil Bill 109 obligations differently. "We don't want to
exempt them. We're telling them, 'let's negotiate substitute measures,'"
Lacombe told reporters.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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