Perspective: Russian trollsRussian Twitter Trolls Stoke Anti-immigrant Lies Ahead of Canadian Election

Russian troll activity on Twitter aimed at influencing public opinion has attracted a lot of attention in the United States and other western democracies. Canadians may feel it’s not an issue here. But a recent examination of Twitter data suggests there are reasons to be concerned as the country heads into a federal election.

Ahmed Al-Rawi and Yasmin Jiwani write in The Conversation that their research shows Russian trolls were trying to stoke divisions among Canadians by tweeting fake news stories and Islamaphobic statements after the Québec mosque shootings in 2017. The Russians have used similar techniques to disrupt and sow dissent in other countries. It’s reasonable to assume the same thing could happen in advance of the October election.

“We think that more in-depth analysis of other Canadian-related issues needs to be conducted to understand the nuances of each issue and how other fake news stories spread,” they write. “This is especially important before and during Canada’s federal election this October,” adding: “Fake newsmakers will likely focus on immigration, LGBTQ, climate change, employment and the economy: these issues can influence voters’ sentiments towards Canadian political parties. More critical eyes are needed with independent observers that can identify fake stories without being swayed by their biases.”