Most Canadians view about Online News Act is news should be free, survey suggests

A new survey suggests that most Canadians feel news should be free and accessible for anyone, while also believing that media will find other ways to make money.

Leger conducted a national online survey of 1,564 people over the weekend to seek opinions about the Liberal government's Online News Act.

The law, which comes into effect later this year, will force digital giants such as Google to compensate media outlets for content that is shared or otherwise repurposed on their platforms.

About three out of every four respondents said they were aware of the Online News Act, formerly known as Bill C-18, with 34 per cent of respondents saying the law is a good thing to help media outlets that compete for advertising dollars with tech giants.