FT analysis finds network of social media accounts attacking Liberal leader Mark Carney

Increasingly sophisticated deepfake AI-generated internet political ads threaten to unravel Canada’s social order, experts warn, pointing to the successful war on truth Donald Trump is waging south of the border

A group that tracks elections-related social media activity says a tsunami of content created by artificial intelligence filled Canada’s online news void, making this federal election campaign the most “dystopian” the country has ever seen.

Canada’s sovereignty has loomed large in the federal election campaign, but beyond the show of national unity the country’s media and political landscape is riven with division. To counter China’s capabilities, America may have to start building ships in Asia (11:26). And how “The Economist” reported the defeat of the Nazis: a sample from our 1945 interactive archive (20:33). 

En parallèle de la campagne électorale, une activité numérique intense est surveillée de près par les autorités canadiennes, entre circulation de contenus suspects et risques d’ingérence étrangère.

Hyperpartisan and misleading content from popular right-wing pages such as Canada Proud is thriving on Facebook as the election nears.

In a high-stake federal election, accurate campaign information is essential, and the line between what's real and what isn't is blurry. The Canadian Digital Media Research Network is collecting data on disinformation and publishing their findings weekly to determine how vulnerable Canadians are during this election cycle. Taylor Owen, principal investigator for the Media Ecosystem Observatory, joins The Agenda to discuss.

Au 18 avril, l’Observatoire de l’écosystème médiatique avait répertorié un incident «modéré» et sept ou huit incidents «mineurs» grâce aux 194 signalements qu’il a reçus.

Report finds over a quarter of Canadians exposed to ‘more sophisticated and more politically polarizing’ fake content

Des experts s’inquiètent du rôle que peut jouer la désinformation des réseaux sociaux sur les décisions des électeurs le 28 avril, puisque Meta ne relaie plus les nouvelles des grands médias canadiens sur les sites comme Instagram et Facebook depuis 2023.

In this episode, host Dustyn Lanz is joined by Dr. Aengus Bridgman, one of Canada’s leading experts on misinformation and the politics of digital media. Aengus is Director of the Media Ecosystem Observatory and an Assistant Professor at the Max Bell School of Public Policy at McGill University. The conversation delves into the troubling intersection of misinformation, politics, and the rise of deepfake crypto scams during the 2025 Canadian federal elections. Aengus highlights the pervasive use of manipulated images of Canadian politicians in ads across social media platforms, emphasizing the scale of deception and the financial exploitation of voters. He critiques the current state of the information ecosystem, pointing out the failures in platform regulation and governance that allow such practices to thrive.

➡️ Check out ⁠ElectionTipline.ca⁠ for the latest tools & resources on disinformation incidents in the Canadian election.

How concerned should we be about election interference online? Taylor Owen and his colleagues at the Media Ecosytem Observatory keep a close eye on who's trying to sway our elections, and whether or not they're succeeding. He joins Paul to discuss that work and share his wish list for the next government’s digital policy. 

As Canada heads into an election this month, voters looking for campaign news on Facebook or Instagram will find material filtered through online creators and influencers -- and no links to articles from major media outlets.

A network of scam accounts are running Facebook ads featuring an AI-generated prime minister at a time when all news is blocked on the Meta-owned platform in Canada

A media monitoring organization says the “ news blackout” on Facebook and Instagram is blocking crucial updates for voters. CBC Calgary’s Rob Brown reveals new research into how this shift might affect your feed during the election.

A deep dive into how disinformation is evolving—and what it means for Canada’s democracy and elections.

Image generator is supposed to block certain content, but ChatGPT suggested workarounds

Selon les experts de l’Observatoire de l’écosystème de l’information de l’Université McGill, la diffusion de deux articles au ton informatif sur un compte WeChat lié au Parti communiste chinois ne constitue pas une preuve que Pékin appuie le Parti libéral du Canada.

The Facebook group now called “Canadians for the 51st state and Elon Musk for Governor” used to be Hamilton’s thriving buy-and-sell community — until it was “hijacked.”

While the focus in recent years has been on Russia, China and India, there are fresh concerns about efforts from south of the border.