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Parties and Elections
This clip examines the foreign interference in Canadian politics via social media platforms in the lead up to the 2019 election. Interference from China, Russia and Venezuela is discussed.
Highlighted Segment
• 0:47–5:30: CBC’s Adrienne Arsenault investigates foreign interference in elections through online distortion.Suggested In-Class Discussion Questions
1. When discussing election interference by foreign nationals, one usually thinks of the US—Russia and the 2016 US presidential election. How surprised were you to hear that Canada had been the target of foreign interference?2. Taylor Owen: “What's wrong with this infrastructure is that it is calibrated for engagement so that the more people are enraged and engaged and ultimately divided on these sites, the more they use them. And the more they post. And the more they share – which is ultimately good for the platforms and the business model of the platforms. And that turns out as a highly manipulatable mechanism for political speech, which can divide us in clear ways.” Do you agree with Owen? Why?
3. How vulnerable are Canadians to online distortion by foreign sources? What can Canada do to prevent future attacks?
4. The three states mentioned in the video were China, Russia and Venezuela. Why are these states trying to influence Canadians? What motivates their actions?
5. How much responsibility for foreign interference should be attributed to the social media platforms? What should the various social media platforms do to prevent one state from interfering in others?
6. How might social media assist political parties in Canada in micro-targeting voters? To what extent does social media divide/unite Canadians?
Suggested Assignment Questions
1. Examine your social media accounts. To what extent might you be influenced by foreign sources?2. Select an issue of concern and examine social media coverage of the issue from numerous platforms of various ideological perspectives. Compare the coverage from the platforms. Does the discussion of the issue vary according to the platform? Does the discussion divide or unite Canadians?