Misinformation & Disinformation
Tracking the spread and impact of false and misleading information across Canada's digital media landscape, including foreign influence operations and coordinated inauthentic behavior.
35 publications
2026
Conspiratorial Claims and Institutional Distrust in Canada's Online Ecosystem
Sejal Davla, Christopher Ross, Saewon Park + 1 more
A national study revealing that while conspiracy theory belief remains limited, a small number of highly active online accounts drive outsized visibility of conspiratorial content.
reportIncident Debrief: Ripple Effects of the Charlie Kirk Assassination in the Canadian Information EcosystemAengus Bridgman · 20262025
The Canadian Information Ecosystem during the 2025 Federal Election
Aengus Bridgman, Jennie Phillips, Alexei Abrahams + 38 more
Comprehensive report on Canada's 2025 federal election information ecosystem. Concludes that while election integrity was upheld, Canada's democratic resilience is weakening under pressure from manipulation and polarization.
reportThe Sources and Response to Scams Using AI and Fake News WebsitesMathieu Lavigne · 2025briefSocial Media Platforms Host and Profit from Scams Using AI and Fake News WebsitesMathieu Lavigne · 20252024
Russian Funding of US and Canadian Political Influencers
Aengus Bridgman, Alexei Abrahams, Jennie Phillips + 5 more
Initial notification documenting the DOJ indictment of two Russian nationals for funding Tenet Media, with Canadian influencer Lauren Chen and Liam Donovan allegedly receiving nearly $10 million USD from RT.
briefIncident Update 8: Pro-Russian Narratives Among Tenet Media Influencer PodcastsAengus Bridgman · 2024reportSmoke and Mirrors: Social Media Coverage of Wildfires in the Age of Climate ChangeDanielle Bohonos · 2024briefIncident Update 7: Don't "Russian" to Conclusion: An X Analysis of Downstream Conversations in CanadaAengus Bridgman · 2024briefIncident Update 6: The Relevance and Role of Tenet Media Personalities in Canadian Political DiscussionAengus Bridgman · 2024briefIncident Update 5: A Survey Analysis of Awareness and Importance of Tenet Media Influencers in CanadaAengus Bridgman · 2024briefIncident Update 4: Discussion of and Sentiment Towards Canada on Tenet Media Influencer PodcastsAengus Bridgman · 2024briefIncident Update 3: Exploring Impacts of Using Influencers for Foreign InterferenceAengus Bridgman · 2024reportBritish Columbia Election Information Ecosystem Project: Baseline ReportAengus Bridgman · 2024briefIncident Update 6: Bots and LLMsAengus Bridgman · 2024briefIncident Update 5: Survey Findings: Kirkland Lake Bot IncidentAengus Bridgman · 2024briefIncident Update 4: Spot the Bot: The Presence of Suspected Bots on Canadian Politician AccountsAengus Bridgman · 2024briefIncident Update 3: Exploring Incident Replicability Using Commercial AI ToolsAengus Bridgman · 2024briefAugust 3 Bot Activity on X Related to Rally in Kirkland LakeAengus Bridgman · 2024reportFlame Wars: Misinformation and Wildfire in Canada's Climate ConversationChris Russill · 20242023
2020
The causes and consequences of COVID-19 misperceptions: Understanding the role of news and social media
Aengus Bridgman, Eric Merkley, Peter John Loewen + 3 more
An examination of COVID-19 misperceptions in Canada, finding that social media consumption was associated with greater misperceptions while traditional news media consumption was associated with more accurate beliefs.
reportLessons in Resilience: Canada's Digital Media Ecosystem and the 2019 ElectionTaylor Owen · 2020reportUnderstanding vaccine hesitancy in Canada: attitudes, beliefs, and the information ecosystemTaylor Owen · 2020