Canada faces a war on two fronts: an economic campaign to weaken and ultimately annex us, and an information war to manipulate public opinion and destabilize our democracy. Incredibly, the United States is now, alongside authoritarian regimes such as Russia and China, using economic pressure, territorial aggression and digital propaganda to divide Canadians, distort elections and sow mistrust in institutions.

With trust in journalism eroding, disinformation — once fringe — is now mainstream. Much of it is spreading on social media. Today’s guest says the online media environment in Canada is more fragile and vulnerable to manipulation than ever before. A dangerous situation at the best of times — even more so during an election.

Aengus Bridgman, director of the Media Ecosystem Observatory, explains what worries him about the information voters are getting online this election — and how to make sure you don’t get duped.

This was a wide ranging conversation and dealt with Trump's tariff war, the threats towards Canada and the recent arrest and attempt to deport a Columbia student who helped lead protests against Israel's war in Gaza last year.

The conversation was recorded in front of an audience. It was part of a conference put on by McGill's Media Ecosystem Observatory and the Max Bell School of Public Policy.

Des experts mettent en garde contre l'ingérence étrangère, qui risque de passer surtout par des campagnes de désinformation sur les réseaux sociaux.

Democracy Watch is urging federal parties to work together to pass legislation that could help address foreign interference, such as Bill C-65 and Bill C-290, before a federal election is called.

Conservative MPs get more online engagement than Liberals and NDP combined, study finds.

In the wake of the unsealed U.S. indictment implicating Canadian Lauren Chen, left, in a Kremlin-backed influence campaign, social media users quickly—and without evidence—accused Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his party of collusion, posting thousands of comments with hashtags like #PierrePutin in the following days.

The vast majority of Canadians fail to trust the opinions of Jordan Peterson when it comes to Canadian politics.

The vast majority of Canadians fail to trust the opinions of Elon Musk when it comes to Canadian politics.

Aengus Bridgman explique un nouveau rapport qui met en lumière le rôle de Canadiens dans la désinformation russe.

Parliamentary hearings, public documents and experts’ analyses reveal the role of Putin’s government.

The federal government has revealed a new bargaining chip in the gamble to bring big tech back to the table with news publishers.

Recent revelations expose the extent of Russian influence operations amid growing concerns over electoral integrity and public trust.

Des influenceurs de Tenet Media, qui seraient financés par la Russie, sèment la méfiance et la division au sein de la société canadienne, selon une enquête qui met en lumière des vulnérabilités dans l'écosystème de l'information au pays.

The Canadian Digital Media Research Network released a report on the operational mechanisms of Russian propaganda.

Right-wing influencers often present a distorted version of Canada that sloshes back into the real-world, possibly shifting Canadians’ views of their own country. 

OTTAWA — Tenet Media, a Canadian-owned outlet which is accused of spreading Russian propaganda, portrayed Canada as a woke-ish hellscape