Was misinformation employed during the election campaign period?
Refreshed Article:
Election Misinformation Review: A Mixed Bag So Far
According to Aengus Bridgman, director of the Media Ecosystem Observatory, we've got a fair deal going on in the Canadian election media landscape. In a candid chat with Le Devoir, Bridgman breaks down the state of misinformation in our neck of the woods.
Since the spark of the election campaign on March 23, the Observatory has kept a keen eye on misinformation daily. As of April 18, they've clocked one "moderate" incident and a handful of "minor" ones, all based on 194 reports they've received.
While a major incident hasn't reared its ugly head yet, the main "moderate" incident involves doctored ads on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Produced by artificial intelligence, these misleading ads pretend to be from well-known Canadian news sites, such as Radio-Canada, CBC, CTV, or the Toronto Sun. The goal? Lure you into a cryptocurrency scam. The Observatory has tracked over 40 pages peddling such ads, a phenomenon that's been around for months.
The other incidents, considered "minor," include misleading posts from accounts with minimal influence on the election and overall Canadian media ecosystem.
Interestingly, Bridgman notices the current misinformation appears less focused on affecting election outcomes and more about making a quick buck. "The main aim of these fake ads seems to be financial, and they don't pose a significant political threat."
No American Puppet Masters
Contrary to initial concerns, no signs of American interference have shown up, Bridgman assures us. While nations like China, Russia, and India are still on the watchlist for potential election manipulation, the U.S. seems to have steered clear.
"Initially, there was a big fuss about the ability of these countries to influence elections, as seen in the Hogue report. The U.S. wasn't discussed much. But they've become a major disinformation actor worldwide, as we've seen in Germany, the UK, and more recently in Romania," he explains.
Bridgman believes the American influence today is limited. "We're living in a time where Canadians no longer rely so heavily on American voices. There's a sort of Canadian nationalism resurgence."
A silver lining from the data collected by the Observatory: most Canadians seem to spot false content easily. In a daily survey of 2,656 respondents, about one in four Canadians (24%) said they'd encountered misleading content. And among them, 60% could smell a rat immediately.
Stay Vigilant, Not Panicked
While Canadians are pretty savvy, Bridgman reminds us to keep our guard up. "There's a whole context in the U.S., where a government doesn't want regulation on Facebook, Instagram, or even X. The CEOs of these companies say: 'It's not our responsibility, we don't need to be transparent or moderate content.' He also points out that Facebook has snubbed news content from its Canadian platforms.
Bridgman suggests Canadian laws need a serious overhaul to protect the public from manipulative digital deception. He advocates mandatory full disclosure of online political ads, not just during campaigns, and stricter regulations to monitor platform compliance and achieve sanctions for repeat offenders.
On the Horizon
While we've got work to do, Canadians generally seem determined to spot fake news and deny it a platform. Here's hoping that vigilance pays off!
Bonus Reading
- Bloc Not Playing Defense, Says Yves-François Blanchet
- Poilievre Wants Police to Dismantle Itinerant Camps
- Mark Carney in Charm Offensive in British Columbia
Speaking of Elections...
Americans Disillusioned by Trump's U-turns
A Pew Institute survey credits him with 40% approval, down 7 points from February.
Serious Ceasefire or Trickery? Ukrainians Don't Believe Russians Will Stop
Olena Apchel, who's on the frontline, doesn't trust Russia will respect a ceasefire.
Abandoned Mines in Northern Quebec Will Cost the State Over $600 Million
The government must manage over 245 sites in remote regions, says the Commissioner for Sustainable Development.
Worth Watching on the Small Screen
Frustratingly, our new federal government has yet to commit to any specific policy measures aimed at combating false political ads on Meta's platforms. But hey, we'll keep pushing for transparency, won't we?
Insights:
- Election Integrity Narratives: Misinformation surrounding Dominion voting machines and ballot validity has been circulating, often amplified by partisan social media accounts.
- Foreign-linked Disinformation: China, India, and Russia are active in spreading influence campaigns, although their impact on mainstream traction appears minimal. Smear campaigns against local candidates and unsubstantiated allegations about certain candidates (like Mark Carney and his purported links to Jeffrey Epstein) are also part of the mix.
- Debate-related Risks: Federal officials have warned voters to be cautious when consuming online content around election debates, as there's a risk of manipulated clips or out-of-context quotes targeting leaders like Pierre Poilievre or Jagmeet Singh.
- Observer's Perspective: Aengus Bridgman, director of the Media Ecosystem Observatory, believes the Canadian election misinformation landscape is overall less politically threatening than in the United States, with most misinformation aimed at extracting money from victims rather than influencing elections.
- In an interview with Le Devoir, François, the director of the Media Ecosystem Observatory, discussed the current state of misinformation in the Canadian elections, noting that it seems more focused on financial gain rather than political threats.
- Most Canadians, according to data collected by the Observatory, appear to be adept at spotting false content, with 60% recognizing it immediately in a daily survey of 2,656 respondents.
- While no American interference has been detected in the Canadian elections yet, concerns about foreign interference from nations like China, Russia, and India persist as potential threats to election integrity.
- Aengus Bridgman has highlighted the need for mandatory full disclosure of online political ads and stricter regulations to monitor platform compliance in Canadian laws, aiming to protect the public from digital deception.
- Misleading content, though relatively negligible, has been found in Canadian elections, including doctored ads pretending to be from well-known Canadian news sites such as Radio-Canada, CBC, CTV, or the Toronto Sun, aiming to lure users into cryptocurrency scams.
- In the realm of education-and-self-development, personal-growth, entertainment, general-news, social-media, crime-and-justice, policy-and-legislation, and even politics, it's crucial to remain vigilant against misinformation and maintain a critical approach towards the content we consume.
- The Observatory continues to document incidents of misinformation in the Canadian election media landscape, urging Canadians to stay informed and not be swayed by fake news that could potentially deny a platform to truthful information.
