As Canada prepares for the 2025 federal election, the proliferation of phony political advertisements on social media platforms is at an unprecedented scale. Aengus Bridgman, Executive Director of Media Ecosystem Observatory, mentions in an interview with The Guardian that over half of Canadians access Facebook not only for social networking but also to obtain their political information—and that information is riddled with fake headlines, advertisements, and even deepfake videos. He went on to express in grim detail that “in the absence of dependable information, people become easier to mislead,” which continues to put the country’s democracy at risk.
Fake News Masquerading as Trusted Sources
Bridgman’s work demonstrates a more worrying development: many forms of disinformation now pretend to come from trusted news or information figures. A more contemporary example is the scammers impersonating Mark Carney, a former Canadian Governor of the Bank of Canada, who’s been preyed upon to sell fake products by posers.
These diabolical scams dwell on reputable media and public figures and, thus, make it increasingly difficult for voters to differentiate fledgling information from authentic, deepening the already deteriorating state of trust in information sources.
Deepfakes: A New Tool for Scammers
The application of deepfake technology has enabled more complex defamation schemes that extend to global elections. Unlike text headlines and other parts of the media that can simply be faked, deepfakes have the ability to change the video and audio of a particular political figure to the extent of making them appear to perform activities they never intended to partake in.
Consequently, this sophistication raises the probability of massive public ignorance, which in turn complicates the already existing hurdles for voters trying to cross-verify the authenticity of information.
Platforms Under Pressure
These new challenges place further strain on modern technology firms, particularly Meta, who appear to be needlessly exacerbating the situation. Meta, through its Canadian news ban, leaves the users without any credible shield to protect them from rampant false information.
While commenting on the event, X stated that “Companies capturing large sections of user bases, such as Meta, need to take more decisive and proactive steps to address grave concerns surrounding electoral security.” Providing robust content moderation along with other services that are needed has become indispensable.
An Urgent Call for Vigilance
Ahead of the election, experts ask Canadian voters to be more discerning about the content they encounter online. The emergence of deepfakes—believable but wholly false videos—makes deception easier than ever. Bridgman stressed that Canadians need to improve their critical media literacy skills to identify where fake content is produced and raise their voices to denounce it, cautioning that the protective pillars of journalism and regulation are less and less feasible to uphold in today’s disorderly digital world.
A Pivotal Moment for Democracy
The broader reality is that Bridgman’s concerns, along with those of other experts, emphasize that the foundation of democracy in Canada is under threat. If voters are unable to get access to correct information, the validity of the election outcome may be contested.
As Bridgman and others explain, there is an immediate need for coordinated action from governments, civil society, and technology companies to defend against the strategic use of disinformation. Canada needs to take urgent action to safeguard its democratic future.
