2025 Federal Election Monitoring and Response

As the spread of disinformation increases, protecting the integrity of our information ecosystem is more important than ever. This is why the Canadian Digital Media Research Network (CDMRN) and its collaborators, led by the Media Ecosystem Observatory (MEO), will be actively monitoring and responding to information manipulation throughout the election period.

Digital Threat Tipline

See something online? Say something!

The Digital Threat Tipline is an easy-to-use platform where anyone can report misleading information or media content that could negatively impact democracy in Canada. If you’ve encountered fake news, manipulated stories, misleading images or videos, or other suspicious content that seems designed to deceive or manipulate public opinion, please report it to us! All tips will be reviewed but due to volume we will not be replying to each individual tip.

Check our english and french tipline below!

WEEKLY UPDATES

Each week during the election period, we’ll share a clear summary and analysis of the information environment of the Canadian election including our evaluation of manipulations and influence campaigns.

  • Describe key trends and shifts within the Information Ecosystem, including spikes in engagement with political parties on platforms like X, growing concerns about foreign influence, and other dynamics shaping public understanding and decision-making.

  • An overview of information incidents currently being monitored and addressed by CDMRN and its partners, along with newly detected or developing incidents that could impact the information ecosystem.

  • An update on the work of the wider Canadian research and civil society community to support election integrity in Canada, including initiatives focused on transparency and information literacy.

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Featured
Weekly Update 1 | Friday, March 28
Weekly Update 1 | Friday, March 28

The 45th Canadian election has started with major concerns about information manipulation and foreign interference.

Featured
Mise à jour hebdomadaire 1 | Vendredi 28 mars 
Mise à jour hebdomadaire 1 | Vendredi 28 mars 

La 45e campagne électorale canadienne a débuté dans un contexte marqué par de vives inquiétudes concernant la manipulation de l’information et l’interférence étrangère.

LATEST INCIDENTS

In this section, we monitor information incidents that have the potential to mislead the public to disrupt democracy during the federal elections by analyzing their impact on the Canadian information ecosystem. Our updates assess the nature and impacts of incidents, as well as provide valuable insights and lessons learned.

Coalition for Information Ecosystem Resilience

Building collaboration for information ecosystem monitoring & response during the next federal election

To enable and build a resilient information ecosystem that is able to:

  • minimize the likelihood of disruption (contain)

  • bounce back from moments of instability,

  • and reorganize, adapt to and learn  from change (bounce forward)

IN THE MEDIA

News Blog
Social media platforms’ election-integrity initiatives lack transparency, says researcher
Social media platforms’ election-integrity initiatives lack transparency, says researcher

Letters from four social-media companies to Elections Canada outline their platforms’ content and political advertising policies and in some cases also defend their approaches. The platforms are also partnering with Elections Canada to provide voting information to Canadians – a move researchers called positive.

Canada Proud is dominating Facebook ahead of the election
Canada Proud is dominating Facebook ahead of the election

Conservative advocacy group Canada Proud is dominating the discussion of the federal election on Facebook and Instagram as the Meta-owned platforms continue to block the sharing of all news content in Canada.

Aengus Bridgman on the 2025 Federal Election, Social Media Platforms, and Misinformation
Aengus Bridgman on the 2025 Federal Election, Social Media Platforms, and Misinformation

Aengus Bridgman joins the Law Bytes podcast to talk about the state of the major platforms in Canada in 2025, how our information ecosystem is vulnerable to misinformation, and what we should be doing about it.

Explainer: How disinformation, fake news and foreign interference threaten Canadian election
Explainer: How disinformation, fake news and foreign interference threaten Canadian election

Canada’s 45th federal election campaign is in full swing, and information is coming at us fast and furious. But look out: Disinformation isn’t far behind. The threats of fake news, deepfakes and foreign interference infiltrating your social media feed have never been higher. What should you watch out for and what can you do about it?

Rattrapage du 29 mars 2025 : Débat électoral sur Donald Trump, et voyage aux États-Unis
Rattrapage du 29 mars 2025 : Débat électoral sur Donald Trump, et voyage aux États-Unis

Élections fédérales : Les risques d’ingérence étrangère plus élevés que jamais

Online news blackout, misinformation could leave voters in the dark, experts warn
Online news blackout, misinformation could leave voters in the dark, experts warn

Canadians are in the midst of a federal election at a time when they can’t access news on the most popular social media platforms — and as U.S. President Donald Trump’s ally Elon Musk uses his own platform to meddle in the politics of other countries.

Patriotisme à deux vitesses: les politiciens achètent pour 900 000 $ de pub à Meta
Patriotisme à deux vitesses: les politiciens achètent pour 900 000 $ de pub à Meta

Dans la semaine qui a précédé le déclenchement des élections, les principaux partis politiques fédéraux ont acheté pour plus de 900 000 $ de publicité à Meta, une entreprise américaine qui interdit le partage de vraies nouvelles sur ses plateformes, mais qui permet la prolifération de fausses nouvelles.

Disinformation from abroad is a real danger in a race where Canada-U.S. mistrust is high
Disinformation from abroad is a real danger in a race where Canada-U.S. mistrust is high

Opening Segment (0:56); Disinformation from abroad is a real danger in a race where Canada-U.S. mistrust is high. (17:44); GoFundMe campaign seeks support for appeal of Preston Springs condo proposal (35:49); Living Retired (53:35); Annual Highland Ball returns to Cambridge Armoury (1:11.28); KWAG 'Culture Talk' shines a light on placemaking and social infrastructure (1:20.24); The Flipside (1:29.37); It's the 12 o'clock Talkback Hour! (1:49.38)

Foreign disinformation is a looming threat in Canada’s election. Here’s where it might come from
Foreign disinformation is a looming threat in Canada’s election. Here’s where it might come from

Disinformation from abroad is a real danger in a race where Canada-U.S. mistrust is high. Here’s what the cyber threats might look like

An election in a polluted media environment
An election in a polluted media environment

With trust in journalism eroding, disinformation — once fringe — is now mainstream. Much of it is spreading on social media. Today’s guest says the online media environment in Canada is more fragile and vulnerable to manipulation than ever before. A dangerous situation at the best of times — even more so during an election.

What voters can do to fight back against social media misinformation
What voters can do to fight back against social media misinformation

Aengus Bridgman, director of the Media Ecosystem Observatory, explains what worries him about the information voters are getting online this election — and how to make sure you don’t get duped.

Nobel winning economist Joseph Stiglitz on Trump, tariffs and democracy
Nobel winning economist Joseph Stiglitz on Trump, tariffs and democracy

This was a wide ranging conversation and dealt with Trump's tariff war, the threats towards Canada and the recent arrest and attempt to deport a Columbia student who helped lead protests against Israel's war in Gaza last year.

The conversation was recorded in front of an audience. It was part of a conference put on by McGill's Media Ecosystem Observatory and the Max Bell School of Public Policy.

Élections fédérales : comment se préparer à l’ingérence étrangère?
Élections fédérales : comment se préparer à l’ingérence étrangère?

Des experts mettent en garde contre l'ingérence étrangère, qui risque de passer surtout par des campagnes de désinformation sur les réseaux sociaux.

Foreign interference risks must be addressed before voters go to polls, warns democracy watchdog, but Wark says holding off on election right now would be ‘ridiculous’
Foreign interference risks must be addressed before voters go to polls, warns democracy watchdog, but Wark says holding off on election right now would be ‘ridiculous’

Democracy Watch is urging federal parties to work together to pass legislation that could help address foreign interference, such as Bill C-65 and Bill C-290, before a federal election is called.

Conservative MPs get more online engagement
Conservative MPs get more online engagement

Conservative MPs get more online engagement than Liberals and NDP combined, study finds.