Justice Paul Rouleau has tasked all levels of government with further studying how social media — and the potentially false and dangerous narratives it perpetuates — influences Canadians.
OTTAWA — When Justice Paul Rouleau dropped his landmark report on the use of the Emergencies Act to quash the so-called “Freedom Convoy” protest, he included a warning: that misinformation is “inherently destructive and divisive,” and that its role in the unfolding movement was “pervasive.”
He said the mistrust in government some Canadians felt over the course of the pandemic was reinforced by false information swirling around the legitimacy and efficacy of public health measures like receiving vaccines and wearing masks. So far, the Department of Canadian Heritage has launched its Digital Citizenship Contribution Program, which promotes digital media literacy through educational activities and programming. Around $5 million has been earmarked over the past year to fund projects targeting misinformation about the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and to study how false content spreads.
For Caulfield, who wants to see more federal dollars flow towards research, that looks like halting the spread of misinformation before it even begins. Al-Rawi prepared a report on social media use during the convoy for Rouleau’s inquiry, which found that misinformation surfaced primarily on alternative platforms like Telegram.
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