Digital Ecosystem Research Challenge Winners Announced
The Digital Ecosystem Research Challenge has awarded 18 Research Awards ranging from $3,000 to $75,000 to research teams from Canada and abroad. The Digital Ecosystem Research Challenge is a collaborative effort between Dr. Taylor Owen, Associate Professor in the Max Bell School of Public Policy, McGill University and Dr. Elizabeth Dubois, Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication and a Centre for Law, Technology and Society Faculty Member at the University of Ottawa.
Canadians' media-consumption habits lead to misinformation | National Observer
August 7, 2019 | A report published by the Digital Democracy Project suggests that overall misinformation levels in Canada are low. However, certain trends in media consumption put news consumers and voters more at risk to be misinformed about key political issues.
People with strong partisan views get more facts wrong on a current events test: survey | Global News
August 8, 2019 | A survey launched by the Digital Democracy Project found that most Canadians across the political spectrum got a common set of facts from an array of mainstream media outlets. The report also highlighted voters' tendencies to select and consume news from sources that support their political beliefs, generating so-called echo chambers.
Canadians who hold strong links to political parties more likely to be misinformed about politics | The Star
August 8, 2019 | The Digital Democracy Project, an initiative of Max Bell School of Public Policy in collaboration with the Public Policy Forum, analyzes the increasing amounts of disinformation and hate in the digital public sphere. A new study shows the links between political affiliation and misinformation.
News that's safe to use: Researchers aim to track information during campaign | CBC News
August 8, 2019 | In an age where information is increasingly scrutinized yet more easily diffusable than ever, Canadians might be more misinformed than disinformed. New findings from the Digital Democracy Project show how information ricochets around the Canadian political landscape.
Digital Ecosystem Research Challenge Launched ahead of 2019 Election
Dr. Taylor Owen, holder of the Beaverbrook Chair in Ethics, Media and Communications received, with Dr. Elizabeth Dubois (University of Ottawa), a Canada History Fund grant to run the Digital Ecosystem Research Challenge. They have launched a call for proposals for projects examining the uses and impacts of digital media in the 2019 Canadian Federal Election.
Federal election easy prey for social media manipulators, experts warn | CBC News
JUNE 24, 2019 | Taylor Owen, an expert in the political impact of digital technologies, warns that the social media infrastructure is to blame for the spread of fake news and political interference. "What's wrong with this infrastructure is that it is calibrated for engagement," he says.
Election interference is happening in Canada: What you can do to stop it | CBC News
June 25, 2019 | Online interference is happening in the run-up to Canada's fall federal election. CBC News looked at who's behind it and what you can do to stop it. The interview featured Taylor Owen, Max Bell School professor and Beaverbrook Chair in Media, Ethics, and Communications. Taylor Owen spoke about how the design of our digital infrastructure and social media platforms are manipulable when it comes to election campaigns and political speech.
Taylor Owen in The Globe and Mail: Who will answer the Christchurch Call? Nobody, if tech platforms continue ungoverned | OPINION
May 23, 2019 | Taylor Owen, Beaverbrook Chair in Media, Ethics and Communication at the Max Bell School of Public Policy, writes that the Christchurch Call might be a missed opportunity for governments to move toward global digital governance.
Canada to announce framework for accountability & transparency from social media platforms | Primetime Politics
May 15, 2019 | Digital media expert and Professor at the Max Bell School of Public Policy, Taylor Owen explains Canada's Digital Charter, the federal government'a latest engagement to provide a framework for accountability and transparency from social media platforms. He believes the greater question to date is whether, and how national regulations will apply to tech giants and corporations based in the United States.
Des politiciens s'engagent à tenir tête aux géants de la technologie | Radio Canada
May 12, 2019 | Social media companies are beginning to worry politicians around the world. In the context of the coming 2019 election, elected officials are worried that non-compliance with current laws may pose a threat to Canadian democracy. Max Bell School Professor and digital expert Taylor Owen asserts that it is not too late for Canada to beef up its laws and regulate tech giants.
The Christchurch Call: toward a global effort to fight online hate speech | Globe and Mail
May 15, 2019 | World leaders including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, France's President Emmanuel Macron and New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern met at the "Christchurch Call" summit to discuss steps in eradicating online hate speech. Digital governance expert Taylor Owen argues that national regulations protecting user privacy and data ownership may come into force earlier than we may think.
Canada's new ‘Digital Charter’ | Welland Tribune
May 12, 2019 | Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently announced the new Digital Charter, an attempt for the government to step in and regulate tech giants. This framework aims at setting expectations on issues such as data ownership, privacy protections and the online dissemination of hate. Digital expert and McGill's Chair of Media, Ethics and Communications Taylor Owen shares his views on this new framework.
Will Canada regulate tech giants? Taylor Owen weighs in | Vancouver Sun
May 12, 2019 | Politicians are increasingly concerned that social media giants such as Facebook and Twitter have become so powerful and rich that they are effectively above the law — at least in a small country like Canada. Taylor Owen, McGill's Chair in Media, Ethics and Communications and Max Bell School spoke about the challenges in implementing international regulations on hate speech, but maintains that Canada is in a position to strengthen their laws.
Taylor Owen on the "Christchurch Call" | CBC Radio
May 15, 2019 | Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other world leaders reunited in Paris for the "Christchurch Call" summit. This meeting brought together politicians and industry leaders in tech to fight the spread of online extremism. McGill's Chair of Media, Ethics and Communications Taylor Owen was invited to CBC's Front Burner to discuss the challenges in implementing efficient measures to combat online hate speech.
