Nearly nine in 10 Canadians (88%) say they are concerned about AI deception in the news, with over half (52 per cent) “very concerned,” according to a Canadian Journalism Foundation (CJF) survey, conducted by The Harris Poll Canada.
Run overnight on Oct. 21 using 1,532 randomly-selected Canadian adults who are Maru Voice Canada online panellists, the results have been weighted by age, gender, region, and education (and in Quebec, language), according to Census data.
It indicates nearly half (47%) of Canadians report encountering misleading or false information daily or several times weekly, with just seven per cent saying they “never” encounter misleading or false information online. Seventeen per cent say they encounter it daily and 30% report seeing it several times a week.
This concern spans age groups, but is heightened among younger Canadians, with nearly 60% of those, aged 18–34, saying they encounter deceptive content daily or weekly. Gen Z (57%) reports the highest recognition of “fake news,” with Boomers and older Canadians (39%) least likely to report coming across misleading content.
“Digital deception is no longer an occasional problem – it has become normalized in the daily lives of Canadians, particularly in those of our youngest citizens,” said Natalie Turvey, President and Executive Director of the Canadian Journalism Foundation, in an announcement. “When digital deception is a routine part of how a generation consumes information, we face a fundamental threat to informed citizenship and democratic discourse. The data reinforce that trust in journalism remains strong, but the public expects a coordinated response to protect our information ecosystem and safeguard our democracy.”
Trust in traditional media remains strong
CJF says Canadians continue to trust established relationships in deciding who to believe. Three-quarters (75%) of respondents stated they have some trust in news from traditional Canadian news outlets, with 31% expressing complete trust. By contrast, just 27% expressed trust in social media platforms, indicating Canadians can discern the difference between journalism and platforms.
“Fake news” (56%) and clickbait (51%) top the list of types of digital deception commonly encountered by Canadians, followed by deepfakes/altered images (44%), AI-manipulated content (43%) and political disinformation (40%).
By region, Quebecers report the highest levels of exposure to deceptive content, with 54% encountering deepfakes or altered images. Contact from fake news organizations or personalities is significantly higher in Quebec (36%), which the CJF muses may reflect heightened sensitivity to digital deception or more concentrated targeting.
