Canadian Digital Media Research Network Unveils First Canadian Information Ecosystem Report
June 11th, 2024
One year after the launch of the Canadian Digital Media Research Network (CDMRN), we are pleased to share the first edition of the Canadian Information Ecosystem Situation Report. These monthly technical briefs will provide quantitative insights into the state of the information ecosystem, particularly as it relates to politics, media, and democracy in Canada. Our reports evaluate the ecosystem by analyzing vulnerabilities such as distrust in institutions, polarization, toxicity, and inequality; threats like foreign influence and misinformation; and how and where Canadians engage with news and politics. We also highlight the stories and topics, both true or false, that shaped the information ecosystem in the previous month.
Canadians are rightly concerned about the character and quality of the information being circulated in our country. For the first time ever, these monthly situation reports are going to provide a set of reproducible and transparent measures that let Canadians know how healthy their information environment is. And that is exciting.
- Aengus Bridgman, Director, Media Ecosystem Observatory
Key findings of the inaugural report:
Ecosystem influence is highly concentrated in a small number of voices
Canadians have low trust in information providers
Misinformation-producing websites receive significant attention
Conservative voices strongly dominate the online Canadian conversation
In the short term, these reports will enhance our collective understanding of the dynamics within the Canadian information ecosystem. In the long term, our findings will contribute to safeguarding trust in our institutions and the integrity of elections.
For more information about the CDMRN and to access the Canadian Information Ecosystem Situation Report, please visit our website.You can also subscribe to our mailing list to receive them monthly.
About the Canadian Digital Media Research Network: The CDMRN is a pioneering initiative led by the Media Ecosystem Observatory, an interdisciplinary collaboration between McGill University and the University of Toronto PEARL that studies information ecosystem health.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Isabelle Corriveau, Senior Manager, Public Engagement and Communications
Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy︱Media Ecosystem Observatory