Front Burner

An election in a polluted media environment

55 snips
Mar 24, 2025
Taylor Owen, a McGill University professor and expert in media ethics, discusses the alarming erosion of trust in journalism and rampant disinformation in Canada’s online sphere. He highlights how social media has become a breeding ground for misinformation, particularly during elections. Owen addresses the rise of influencers and foreign interference, emphasizing their potential to manipulate public opinion. He also raises concerns about the ideological polarization and echo chambers that threaten the integrity of democracy, calling for better standards and accountability in media.
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INSIGHT

2019 Canadian Media Resilience

  • In 2019, Canadian media was resilient to disinformation, with high trust in traditional journalism.
  • This trust moderated negative online activity and limited foreign interference.
INSIGHT

Decline in Trust

  • Trust in major Canadian news outlets has declined significantly, approaching US levels.
  • This drop coincides with decreased news consumption from these sources.
ANECDOTE

Meta's News Removal Impact

  • Meta's removal of news links resulted in 11 million fewer daily views of journalism in Canada.
  • Surprisingly, most people who got news from Facebook and Instagram didn't notice the change.
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