Rebuilding Trust in a Post-Truth Era: A Framework for Progress

Growing concerns over misinformation have reached a critical point in Canada, with Commissioner Marie-Josee Hogue identifying it as the “single greatest existential threat” to Canadian democracy in her Foreign Interference Commission’s final report earlier this year. These findings have prompted Evidence for Democracy, a Canadian research organization, to conduct an extensive review of misinformation’s impact on the nation’s democratic institutions.

The consequences of misinformation in Canada are increasingly visible and harmful. Recent incidents include the creation of malicious sexual deepfakes, growing public distrust in climate scientists and public health experts, and the amplification of hate speech targeting minority communities. These trends are not merely academic concerns but manifest in tangible social disruption.

Evidence for Democracy initially highlighted these threats during the COVID-19 pandemic in their “Misinformation in Canada” report. However, the landscape has evolved dramatically since then, particularly with the rapid advancement and widespread adoption of artificial intelligence technologies.

Canada faces unique challenges in combating misinformation due to several factors. The country’s media ecosystem is increasingly digitalized and dominated by foreign content, while traditional news sources have experienced a significant decline in public trust. Very large online platforms (VLOPs) such as Meta and TikTok wield growing influence over information dissemination, often with limited oversight.

Technological developments in social media and artificial intelligence, combined with inadequately regulated online spaces, have created an environment where misinformation can spread rapidly. The 2022 trucker occupation of Ottawa exemplifies how misinformation can radicalize beliefs and behaviors, leading to significant harm including physical violence, sexual harassment, hate speech, and approximately $37 million in damages to the city.

Despite the accelerating pace of technological change, the Canadian government’s legislative and policy responses have proceeded cautiously. Most existing Canadian laws address misinformation’s harms only in limited contexts, such as hate speech, defamation, and fraud. Broader attempts to criminalize misinformation, like the Online Harms Act of 2024, have encountered constitutional challenges that have prevented their implementation.

More recent legislative proposals have narrowed their focus to high-risk areas such as election interference but have struggled to gain sufficient political support to pass through Parliament. This legislative inertia contrasts sharply with the rapidly evolving threat landscape.

According to Evidence for Democracy’s comprehensive report, misinformation significantly impacts Canadians’ personal beliefs, civic behaviors, and trust in institutions. Marginalized communities, including Indigenous and gender-diverse groups, have been particularly affected by disinformation campaigns, experiencing disrupted access to social services and, in many cases, physical violence and psychological harm.

Foreign actors frequently drive these campaigns, employing advanced AI technologies and manipulation techniques like deepfakes. They exploit online platforms to target specific communities and interfere with democratic processes, including elections. Compounding these threats is the generally low level of digital media literacy among Canadians, along with declining trust in traditional news sources, which leaves the population increasingly vulnerable to manipulation.

The report suggests that effective countermeasures must be multi-faceted, incorporating targeted government regulation, consistent content moderation policies, algorithmic transparency on social media platforms, and sustained investment in digital media literacy programs. International frameworks such as the EU Digital Services Act and the EU Artificial Intelligence Act offer potential models for improved platform accountability and content regulation that Canada could adapt.

Evidence for Democracy recommends various policy options to address these challenges, including clearer legislation on AI-generated content, establishing a centralized federal monitoring entity, implementing systemic safeguards for vulnerable groups, and renewing efforts to build public trust in democratic institutions in the digital age.

As Canada grapples with these complex challenges, the report emphasizes the urgent need to safeguard democratic processes and restore evidence-based decision-making as a foundation for public policy. Without coordinated action, misinformation threatens to further undermine expert knowledge, erode institutional trust, and harm vulnerable communities across the nation.