Ethics Series — Misinformation/Disinformation on Social Media: How Large is the Threat to Democracy?

Join us on January 21 from 12:00-1:00pm ET for a discussion moderated by our Chair in Public Policy Tom Axworthy as part of the Massey College Ethics Series. The panel features: 

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok have been described as the “Four Horsemen of the Social Media Apocalypse,” a term popularized by Misha Glenny, the UK author of McMafia. These platforms are now central to global discussions about their role in eroding trust, fueling polarization, enabling online abuse, and contributing to other societal harms. 

Misinformation—unintentional inaccuracies such as spreading rumors—and disinformation—the deliberate spread of falsehoods to mislead—are at the core of this crisis. Disinformation, in particular, has become a favored tool of authoritarian regimes, leveraging social media to destabilize democracies by amplifying false narratives and deepening divisions. 

Key Statistics

  1. Digital news consumption: 80% of Americans get most of their news from digital devices.
  2. Misleading content: Up to 29% of digital news is inaccurate (some platforms are worse—40% of medical videos on TikTok contain misinformation).
  3. Abusive tweets: In eight municipal elections studied by the Samara Centre for Democracy in 2022, 18–27% of tweets were abusive.
  4. Public concerns: 59% of Canadians are “very” or “extremely” concerned about social media misinformation, and 43% admit they find it harder to discern truth from fiction compared to three years ago.

To assess the impact of social media in Canadian life in 2025, the panel will explore:

  1. Trends: What are the current trends in social media usage and its impact?
  2. Powerful platforms: Why are social media platforms such effective tools for spreading misinformation and disinformation?
  3. Foreign interference: -How widespread is the use of social media by foreign powers to disrupt Canada? -How does Canada’s situation compare to other countries?
  4. Government response: What actions is Canada taking to counter foreign threats? Are these measures sufficient?
  5. Domestic misinformation: What are digital platforms, public interest groups, communities, and authorities doing to combat misinformation from domestic sources, aggrieved individuals, or those seeking to profit from it?
  6. Individual responsibility: What can we, as individuals, do to seek truth and repel lies?

Agenda

This event is will be accessible online only.

Follow the link below to watch it live, or later on our YouTube Channel.  

No registration required, but you will get a notification reminder if you register below.

Registration

FREE

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Video Feed

Watch the video stream here

  • DATE
    January 21, 2025
  • START TIME
    12:00pm
  • END TIME
    1:00pm
  • LOCATION
    On-Line Only