AI ‘Tsunami' hits Canadian election online, but voter impact limited
As Canadians head to the polls, a silent battle rages online, where artificial intelligence is crafting a new reality for voters. Despite its potential for manipulation, however, experts suggest its impact on the election remains surprisingly muted.
#Pahalgam Terrorist Attack
India pulled the plug on IWT when Pakistanis are fighting over water
What makes this India-Pakistan standoff more dangerous than past ones
The problem of Pakistan couldn't have come at a worse time for D-St
"It feels 'Black Mirror'-esque, it feels dystopian," Aengus Bridgman, a researcher at the Media Ecosystem Observatory (MEO), said, describing the unprecedented wave of AI-generated content flooding
Canada
's online election landscape.
The MEO, tracking elections-related social media activity, has labeled this federal election campaign the most "dystopian" in Canadian history.
5
5
Next
Stay
Playback speed
1x Normal
Back
0.25x
0.5x
1x Normal
1.5x
2x
5
5
/
Skip
Ads by
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
A câmera de Segurança Mais moderna do Mercado por até 40% Off
Alarme Verisure
Ver oferta
Undo
"We don't have any evidence yet that Canadians are being manipulated or were convinced of things that are not true," Bridgman, also a McGill University professor, notes.
However, he cautions, "This is absolutely a concern, and could occur, but it hasn't yet. There's just tons of generative AI content that we've seen."
Live Events
AI-generated content, including deepfake videos and memes, impersonated legitimate news sources to promote fraudulent investment schemes, and even repurposed Facebook buy and sell pages for political advocacy.
"News is not available on that platform, but AI was pretending to be news," Bridgman explained. This digital manipulation filled the news vacuum created by the Online News Act, which forced Meta to block news content in Canada.
"Meta has somehow decided that this is OK," Bridgman said, expressing concern over the platform's moderation.
However, Meta spokesperson Julia Perreira countered, "We have around 40,000 people working on safety and security issues globally at Meta," highlighting their efforts to combat misinformation.
Bridgman also noted a silver lining: Canadians are increasingly aware of online manipulation. "Canadians are much more aware of and concerned about, for example, foreign interference, the role of deepfakes and manipulated content online than previously," he observed.
This awareness has led to increased engagement with legitimate Canadian news websites.
The MEO's research also revealed distinct platform usage among political actors. "It's one of the most notable shifts in this election," Bridgman said, pointing to the rise of platforms like Bluesky and TikTok.
He noted a partisan divide, with Liberals dominating Bluesky and Conservatives finding more traction on X and Instagram.
This platform fragmentation, Bridgman warns, could exacerbate political polarization. "I'm very concerned about the online information ecosystem," he said.
"We're kind of in an interesting moment." The MEO, funded by the Department of Canadian Heritage and other foundations, analyzed roughly 5,000 accounts across various social media platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Bluesky, and Telegram, to understand the evolving digital landscape of Canadian politics.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
27 minutes ago
- Time of India
'Got to do a better job': Donald Trump claims he dialled Gavin Newsom over LA unrest; governor says 'didn't even get a voicemail'
Gavin Newsom and Donald Trump (File photo) US President Donald Trump on Tuesday reignited tensions with California Governor Gavin Newsom, claiming he had personally called the governor to criticise his handling of the state. "A day ago. Called him up to tell him, got to do a better job, he's doing a bad job. Causing a lot of death and potential death," Trump told reporters when asked, 'When is the last time you spoke with Governor Newsom?' — Acyn (@Acyn) Newsom, however, flatly denied the exchange ever happened. 'There was no call. Not even a voicemail,' he said, adding, 'Americans should be alarmed that a President deploying Marines onto our streets doesn't even know who he's talking to.' The remarks come as Newsom filed an emergency motion in federal court Tuesday to block National Guard members and Marines from participating in immigration raids in Los Angeles. 'Trump is turning the US military against American citizens,' the governor wrote on X. While Trump initially deployed the Guard to protect federal buildings, California officials were recently informed that the Pentagon would expand their role to supporting immigration enforcement. This includes securing perimeters during ICE operations. On Tuesday, ICE posted photos on X showing National Guard troops present as officials detained two men. Commentator Pete Hegseth reshared the images with the caption, 'This We'll Defend.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Eat 1 Teaspoon Every Night, See What Happens A Week Later [Video] getfittoday Undo Newsom's filing argues the troop deployment will escalate tensions and provoke unrest. A federal judge is set to hear the case Thursday. Administration lawyers pushed back, calling the governor's request a 'dangerous' move that could disrupt federal authority. Meanwhile, arrests were made Tuesday in downtown Los Angeles as protests entered their fifth day. Speaking at Fort Bragg, Trump referred to Los Angeles as a 'trash heap,' vowing to 'liberate' the city from criminal elements. 'We will liberate Los Angeles and make it free, clean, and safe again,' he said. Trump's portrayal of the city clashed with its affluent reality , where the average home costs nearly $1 million, according to Zillow — but aligned with his ongoing effort to frame Democratic-led cities as plagued by lawlessness.
Time of India
30 minutes ago
- Time of India
Union minister highlights decrease in poverty rates
1 2 3 4 Vijayawada: Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office in 2014, the country witnessed equitable development across all sectors, leading to enhanced international standing and justice for all sections of society, said G Kishan Reddy, Union minister for coal and mines and Telangana BJP president. He was speaking at a press conference in Vijayawada on Tuesday. Reddy stated that India's economy became the world's fourth-largest, surpassing Japan, growing from a 2.1 trillion dollar economy in 2014 (10th position) to four trillion dollar, as confirmed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Govt aims to achieve a five trillion dollar economy soon. Furthermore, approximately 25 crore people were lifted out of poverty in the last nine years, with poverty rates decreasing from 29.2% in 2013-14 to 11.3% in 2022-23. Per capita income also saw a substantial 67% increase, rising from 68,572 in 2013-14 to 1,14,710 in 2024-25. The minister highlighted the successful implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) with the consensus of all states and the increase in states' share of tax revenue from 32% to 41-42%. He also detailed govt's war on black money, which included demonetisation and banking reforms, leading to a significant increase in the number of taxpayers from 6.9 crore in 2014 to 15.7 crore in 2024-25. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025 Top Trending Local Enterprise Accounting Software [Click Here] Accounting ERP Click Here Undo Direct tax collection also surged by 220% during this period. In terms of social welfare, Reddy announced that the NDA govt provided free ration to 81 crore people and constructed four crore pukka houses for the poor. The Union minister for coal and mines also mentioned that the expansion of the Ayushman Bharat scheme that was to cover over 50 crore poor and middle-class citizens, was now extended to include all individuals above 75 years of age for free medical services. The number of AIIMS institutions grew from seven to 26.
Time of India
30 minutes ago
- Time of India
Rekha meets PM with clean and green vision for city
New Delhi: Chief minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and apprised him of the ongoing development across the national capital and the progress of these projects. She held a discussion with PM Modi on various issues confronting the national capital and informed him about the govt's priority of making Delhi clean and green. The chief minister said the Prime Minister shared his vision and plans for Delhi's growth, which will provide a renewed direction and momentum to the city's developmental efforts. Gupta stated that ensuring cleanliness across Delhi is a top priority for her govt, and making Delhi greener is one of its key goals. Gupta presented a National War Memorial souvenir to the Prime Minister and expressed her intent to bring all school children to visit this site to instill a spirit of patriotism and nationalism in them. Gupta said that she consistently drew new energy, inspiration and resolve from the Prime Minister's visionary leadership. The chief minister shared that waste management in Delhi was being improved through the adoption of technology. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Device Made My Power Bill Drop Overnight elecTrick - Save upto 80% on Power Bill Pre-Order Undo Waste is being recycled and utilised in various ways. She added that 7 million (70 lakh) saplings will be planted this year to increase the green cover in the capital, and the "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam 2.0" campaign has already been launched. The chief minister said her govt was working on a multi-pronged strategy to make Delhi clean and green, with a focus on both public participation and sustainable development. Earlier in the day, Gupta, along with state party president Virendra Sachdeva, held a press briefing. Gupta said that this is the first govt in the history of India that enjoys the trust of every citizen. Sachdeva said that the Modi govt has given several things to Delhi, including electric buses, Central Vista, Bharat Mandapam, Yashobhumi, War Memorial, Kartavyapath, Prime Minister Museum, Rapid Rail, Tunnel Road, and an extensive highway network. Gupta said the regularisation of 1,731 colonies is a major achievement, and under the Delhi Gramodaya Yojana, a plan worth Rs 960 crore has been allocated for the development of Delhi's rural areas.
