Canadian Researchers Develop AI Tool to Combat Online Disinformation

AI Technology Strengthens Fight Against Online Disinformation in Canada

Researchers are leveraging artificial intelligence to combat the growing threat of online disinformation campaigns targeting Canadians, according to experts at the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research.

The institute’s debunking tool, known as CIPHER, has been enhanced with AI capabilities to better track and analyze the constant flow of false and misleading claims circulating online. This technological upgrade has significantly improved the tool’s ability to identify disinformation in real-time.

Brian McQuinn, an associate professor at the University of Regina and one of the project’s lead researchers, explained that while CIPHER currently focuses on analyzing Russian disinformation campaigns, the system is being expanded to address content in Chinese languages and potentially material originating from the United States.

“Russia was the main threat targeting Canada most generally,” McQuinn said. “We are now beginning to shift.”

The system operates by scanning foreign media outlets for questionable claims, which are then verified by human fact-checkers. In a recent example, CIPHER identified a false report from a Russian media source claiming that Alberta is moving toward independence—a claim that misrepresents reality. While separatist groups exist in the province and have reportedly engaged with U.S. officials, no formal separation process is underway.

“Effective disinformation often has kernels of truth in it,” McQuinn noted, highlighting the sophisticated nature of these campaigns.

CIPHER was launched three years ago following a report by McQuinn and colleagues that exposed pro-Kremlin social media accounts targeting both far-right and far-left groups in Canada with false narratives about the Ukraine war. These included unfounded assertions that Russia invaded to eliminate a neo-Nazi regime and that Ukraine had sought nuclear weapons.

According to McQuinn, the primary objective of foreign disinformation campaigns is to fracture social cohesion and potentially incite violence within target countries. The campaigns become particularly effective when ordinary citizens share misleading content with friends and family.

“It is essential for China and for Russia, especially, to show that it looks like the Western project is decaying, is falling apart economically, politically, socially,” he explained.

The United States has emerged as an increasingly significant source of disinformation affecting Canadian audiences, largely because most Canadian social media activity occurs on U.S.-based platforms.

“We have seen that Canadian news and certain types of Canadian content are being downgraded and throttled within these algorithms,” McQuinn said, pointing to the additional challenge this creates for Canadian information integrity.

While artificial intelligence has contributed to the proliferation of disinformation across social media platforms, McQuinn emphasized that incorporating AI into CIPHER was necessary to keep pace with the volume and sophistication of false information.

“We are in an AI arms race around disinformation,” he stated.

The researchers aim to eventually transfer CIPHER technology to government agencies or non-profit organizations. Currently, the tool is being utilized by DisinfoWatch, an organization dedicated to exposing falsehoods to Canadian audiences.

Marcus Kolga, founder of DisinfoWatch, has called for stronger legislation and regulations on digital media platforms to curb the spread of disinformation. “Us doing it alone is not sufficient enough. It requires technology and for us to harness existing technologies in order to sort of make up that gap that we have,” Kolga said.

While McQuinn confirmed discussions with government agencies about implementing CIPHER, he declined to provide specific details. The Canadian Institute for Advanced Research has received funding from both federal and Alberta government sources.

McQuinn emphasized that individual vigilance remains crucial in combating disinformation. He urged Canadians to pause before sharing content on social media. “If I’m going to forward something, what am I forwarding?” he said. “The research has shown if you just take like an extra 10 seconds, the amount of disinformation that gets transferred is significantly less.”

The advancement of tools like CIPHER represents a significant step in the ongoing battle against disinformation, but experts stress that a combination of technological solutions, regulatory frameworks, and personal responsibility will be necessary to effectively protect Canada’s information ecosystem.