The minister responsible for the government’s crusade against online “fake news” and “misinformation” has decided that the government-owned CBC can decide what is and isn’t trustworthy news.
Democratic Institutions Minister Karina Gould tweeted last week an article by the CBC titled “The real ‘fake news’: how to spot misinformation and disinformation online.”
In the article, the author attempts to define honest reporting and gives examples of dishonest journalism.
The article dredges up examples of fake news from the 2016 American Presidential election and the UK referendum to leave the EU in an attempt to show the damage misinformation causes. However, the article lacks evidence that “fake news” is a serious threat in Canada.
The article also only seems to give examples from right-wing sources, leaving readers in the dark about the threat of misinformation from the Left.
The Canadian government has spent millions and endless resources in an attempt to combat “misinformation” online.
The government has also announced it will be regulating social media companies in various ways ahead of the election, even going so far as to say they might force companies to censor “fake news” or risk getting shut down.
