In 2025–26, we witnessed a growing tech governance gap: visible during the 45th federal election, in AI systems absorbing Canadian journalism without paying, and in an influence network spreading Alberta secession to a mass audience before platforms or regulators noticed. 🧵

On June 22, a shooting in Montreal left three people dead and a community shaken. The shooter outlined the intent of his actions in a manifesto, blending ideological motivations rooted in antisemitism, Marxism, far-right elements, and misogynistic incel-related beliefs. 🧵

Over the past three years, we've tracked how Canadians' information diets have shifted amid Meta's news ban and the rise of political influencers. Our latest brief draws on nearly 9M social media posts and a survey of 1,518 Canadians to see what's replacing journalism online. 🧵

Between May and June 2026, as part of a chatbot audit for online harm, we put the same request to four of the most widely used consumer AI chatbots. Here's what we found. 🧵

After Monday's tragic shooting in Montréal, Senior Research Fellow Esli Chan joined CBC's The Current to discuss how the suspect's manifesto reflects incel ideology — and what authorities can do to prevent future incidents. 🧵

Ever been interested in coordinated activity on Facebook? My team and I tracked 340 foreign-run accounts that are using AI to create fake news content targeting users in Canada, the US, the UK, and Europe. Here's a little exploration of the data using Toponymy and DataMapPlot

Our new incident response report exposes a coordinated network of 340 Facebook pages, largely operated from Vietnam, flooding feeds across Canada, the US, the UK, and Europe with AI-fabricated news, and inadvertently funded by Canadian public and private advertisers. 🧵

Now that Canada has tabled #BillC34, the #SafeSocialMediaAct, we're asking what Canadians actually want from this framework. In May 2026, CMTD's Media Ecosystem Observatory (MEO) fielded a national survey of 1,306 Canadians to explore this question. 🧵 #cdnpoli

As Canada debates #BillC34, the Safe Social Media Act, we are exploring some of the legislation's most consequential questions, starting with a policy research note on age verification methods by Andrew MacDougall.

This morning @taylorowen.bsky.social and Nonso Morah spoke about Canada's new AI strategy on CBC's The Current with Matt Galloway. Check it out ⬇️ tinyurl.com/2abt6be5

Canada's AI strategy

The Current · Episode

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Want to learn more about youth online safety in Canada? Now you can! We put together a playlist from our Securing Canada's Digital Sovereignty event series, where you can watch all recordings from the latest event: A New Playbook for Youth Online Safety! 🧵

A year ago, child online safety legislation in Canada was on the verge of being scrapped. Today the Online Harms Act is back on the federal agenda and we were a leading voice in that reversal. We’re hiring to build on it. 🧵

#GenZAI officially concluded in Ottawa last week. On April 30th, we welcomed participants to discuss the future of AI governance among policymakers including Senator Rosemary Moodie, the Honourable @evansolomon.bsky.social, and the Honourable Marc Miller. 🧵

We kicked off Securing Canada's Digital Sovereignty: A New Playbook for Youth Online Safety with opening remarks from @petermacleod.bsky.social and @kbardeesy.bsky.social to get us thinking about what it means to protect youth in today's digital world.

After a morning at our final Gen(Z)AI plenary (Canada's Youth Assembly on AI), we're back tonight in Ottawa for Securing Canada's Digital Sovereignty: A New Playbook for Youth Online Safety.

Young people are among the most exposed to and affected by AI systems. And yet they are rarely invited to shape its governance. #GenZAI was built on the conviction that this needs to change. 🧵

Breaking: CBC/ Radio-Canada investigation identifies Dutch YouTube creators behind Alberta separatist videos getting millions of views. 🧵 #AlbertaSeparatism

With a potential Alberta referendum ahead, we're releasing "Slopaganda," an incident response report documenting a network of inauthentic YouTube channels pushing coordinated, fake Albertan political commentary. 🧵#cdnpoli

We rescheduled Securing Canada's Digital Sovereignty: A New Playbook for Youth Online Safety! Join us on April 30th in Ottawa to hear from youth advocates, policy experts and leading researchers about the current online harms policy landscape and explore potential solutions. 🧵

Are you a Canadian aged 17 –23? Your voice matters in shaping AI & age assurance policy. Following our fourth #GenZAI Forum in Halifax, you can now share your perspective through Make.org's civic dialogue platform here: tinyurl.com/yyzny4mn

React and contribute to collective reflection: AI and Age Assurance

A journey to discover to share your point of view.

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Last night in NYC, @jonathanhaidt.bsky.social joined Ava Smithing for a live recording of Left To Their Own Devices, followed by a community showcase of organizations from across the US and Canada that Haidt called "the Woodstock of tech reform." 🧵

Join us in New York City on March 31 for a FREE evening with @jonathanhaidt.bsky.social, bestselling author of The Anxious Generation, in conversation with Ava Smithing, Gen Z host of Left to Their Own Devices. 🧵

Canada's culture minister says it's time for a "serious conversation" about AI and news media. From @anjakaradeglija.bsky.social, @cdnpress.bsky.social (March 17, 2026) 🧵

Data from the Centre's Media Ecosystem Observatory shows that 'looksmaxxing' is on the rise in Canada's online ecosystem, peaking in February following a viral video of Kick streamer Clavicular "getting brutally frame mogged by an ASU frat leader." 🧵

🚨 Due to the severe ice storm forecast for tomorrow and expected travel disruptions, we’ve made the difficult decision to cancel Securing Canada’s Digital Sovereignty: A New Playbook for Youth Online Safety, scheduled for March 11 in Ottawa.

Are you a Gen Z Canadian (17–23)? We want to hear your thoughts on AI & data privacy! We just hosted our third #GenZAI forum, where 100 young Canadians drafted policy recommendations on AI data collection. Thanks to Make.Org, you can join the conversation here: tinyurl.com/yv6jz3rt

React and contribute to collective reflection: AI and Privacy

A journey to discover to share your point of view.

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MEO researcher Esli Chan spoke about our latest conspiracy brief on iHeart Radio CA's The Andrew Carter Morning Show! Have a listen here: www.iheart.com/podcast/962-...

The Andrew Carter Morning Show (Monday March 2, 2026) - The Andrew Carter Podcast | iHeart

<p>Trudie Mason, Esli Chan, John Moore, Dr. Mitch Shulman, Alicia Monette, Dr. Japji Anna Bas</p>

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In the wake of the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting, the Centre's Founding Director @taylorowen.bsky.social and Associate Director of Policy Helen Hayes published a policy memo calling on the Canadian government to scope AI chatbots into a revised Online Harms Act. 🧵

@mathieulavigne.bsky.social spoke with @rorywh.bsky.social from @nationalobserver.com about our latest brief on online conspiracy theories and institutional distrust in Canada, from the Centre's Media Ecosystem Observatory (MEO).

Rory White@rorywh.bsky.social · 5mo ago

The Media Ecosystem Observatory has found that just 100 accounts in Canada are responsible for 68% of posts promoting conspiracy theories. But they are having an outsized impact on local governments. Read my latest: www.nationalobserver.com/2026/02/25/n...

If you're interested in youth online safety, we've got the perfect event for you! Join us on March 11th in Ottawa to hear from youth advocates, policy experts and leading researchers about the current online harms policy landscape and explore potential solutions. 🧵