Centre for Media, Technology & Democracy
@mediatechdemocracy.bsky.social
Our organization examines how media and emerging technologies shape democracy. We’re housed at McGill University’s Max Bell School of Public Policy, and led by Taylor Owen.
Data privacy was a recurring theme at our October conference, #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned. According to the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Philippe Dufresne, this is a particularly fundamental value for Canadians, with 9/10 expressing deep concerns in OPC surveys. 🧵
November 27, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Data privacy was a recurring theme at our October conference, #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned. According to the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Philippe Dufresne, this is a particularly fundamental value for Canadians, with 9/10 expressing deep concerns in OPC surveys. 🧵
Reposted by Centre for Media, Technology & Democracy
Very happy to have been able to contribute to this event, and thanks to @taylorowen.bsky.social and colleagues for producing a stellar event.
What is a democratic technology and what does that actually mean? This was the guiding question that @ivansigal.bsky.social posed to Professor @ethanz.bsky.social and Mark Surman in their panel, Building the Next Generation of Democratic Tech, at #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned. 🧵
November 26, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Very happy to have been able to contribute to this event, and thanks to @taylorowen.bsky.social and colleagues for producing a stellar event.
AI is ushering a new era of fraud. Join us in Ottawa on December 4th for an evening with global experts, leading policymakers, and regulators to push forward a Canadian agenda on AI-driven financial fraud within the broader AI safety debate. 🧵
November 26, 2025 at 4:51 PM
AI is ushering a new era of fraud. Join us in Ottawa on December 4th for an evening with global experts, leading policymakers, and regulators to push forward a Canadian agenda on AI-driven financial fraud within the broader AI safety debate. 🧵
What is a democratic technology and what does that actually mean? This was the guiding question that @ivansigal.bsky.social posed to Professor @ethanz.bsky.social and Mark Surman in their panel, Building the Next Generation of Democratic Tech, at #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned. 🧵
November 25, 2025 at 9:30 PM
What is a democratic technology and what does that actually mean? This was the guiding question that @ivansigal.bsky.social posed to Professor @ethanz.bsky.social and Mark Surman in their panel, Building the Next Generation of Democratic Tech, at #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned. 🧵
At #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned, @jameeljaffer.bsky.social (Executive Director, @knightcolumbia.org), @imranahmed.bsky.social (CEO, @counterhate.com) joined Professor @klonick.bsky.social (St. John’s University School of Law) to discuss the perilous new free speech moment in the U.S. and beyond. 🧵
November 21, 2025 at 9:59 PM
At #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned, @jameeljaffer.bsky.social (Executive Director, @knightcolumbia.org), @imranahmed.bsky.social (CEO, @counterhate.com) joined Professor @klonick.bsky.social (St. John’s University School of Law) to discuss the perilous new free speech moment in the U.S. and beyond. 🧵
Reposted by Centre for Media, Technology & Democracy
🤔 What happens when 100 Gen Z youth get together to determine policy recommendations for our AI future?
We'll soon find out thanks to Helen Hayes, Associate Director, Policy @mediatechdemocracy.bsky.social.
🎤 Get the full episode now wherever you get your podcasts. cc @jeffmacarthur.bsky.social
We'll soon find out thanks to Helen Hayes, Associate Director, Policy @mediatechdemocracy.bsky.social.
🎤 Get the full episode now wherever you get your podcasts. cc @jeffmacarthur.bsky.social
November 21, 2025 at 7:31 PM
🤔 What happens when 100 Gen Z youth get together to determine policy recommendations for our AI future?
We'll soon find out thanks to Helen Hayes, Associate Director, Policy @mediatechdemocracy.bsky.social.
🎤 Get the full episode now wherever you get your podcasts. cc @jeffmacarthur.bsky.social
We'll soon find out thanks to Helen Hayes, Associate Director, Policy @mediatechdemocracy.bsky.social.
🎤 Get the full episode now wherever you get your podcasts. cc @jeffmacarthur.bsky.social
Oftentimes, efforts to regulate the tech industry are framed as antithetical to innovation. Baroness Beeban Kidron (Member of the UK House of Lords) argued that the inverse is true in her virtual talk on valuing artists in the age of AI at #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned 🧵
November 20, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Oftentimes, efforts to regulate the tech industry are framed as antithetical to innovation. Baroness Beeban Kidron (Member of the UK House of Lords) argued that the inverse is true in her virtual talk on valuing artists in the age of AI at #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned 🧵
A key debate in discussions about regulating online spaces is how best to frame legislation. At #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned, moderator @damiancollins.bsky.social asked this question to Sasha Havlicek, @alexandrageese.bsky.social, and Sir Jeremy Wright. 🧵
November 19, 2025 at 10:20 PM
A key debate in discussions about regulating online spaces is how best to frame legislation. At #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned, moderator @damiancollins.bsky.social asked this question to Sasha Havlicek, @alexandrageese.bsky.social, and Sir Jeremy Wright. 🧵
Reposted by Centre for Media, Technology & Democracy
🤩 Busy day in Halifax, but before we hit the stage to record an episode of The AmberMac Show podcast live, here's this week's new episode - released today:
podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/g...
@jeffmacarthur.bsky.social
@marcsaltzman.bsky.social
@mediatechdemocracy.bsky.social
podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/g...
@jeffmacarthur.bsky.social
@marcsaltzman.bsky.social
@mediatechdemocracy.bsky.social
November 19, 2025 at 2:13 PM
🤩 Busy day in Halifax, but before we hit the stage to record an episode of The AmberMac Show podcast live, here's this week's new episode - released today:
podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/g...
@jeffmacarthur.bsky.social
@marcsaltzman.bsky.social
@mediatechdemocracy.bsky.social
podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/g...
@jeffmacarthur.bsky.social
@marcsaltzman.bsky.social
@mediatechdemocracy.bsky.social
In case you needed another reason to check out Left To Their Own Devices, Apple Canada’s editorial team just named it it one of the top 10 best podcasts of 2025! 🧵
November 18, 2025 at 10:08 PM
In case you needed another reason to check out Left To Their Own Devices, Apple Canada’s editorial team just named it it one of the top 10 best podcasts of 2025! 🧵
Jim Balsillie (former Chair & Co-CEO, Research in Motion) joined us at #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned to address what he calls the "mythical three-headed Cerberus" of surveillance capitalism threatening Canada's democracy. 🧵
#cdnpoli
#cdnpoli
November 18, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Jim Balsillie (former Chair & Co-CEO, Research in Motion) joined us at #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned to address what he calls the "mythical three-headed Cerberus" of surveillance capitalism threatening Canada's democracy. 🧵
#cdnpoli
#cdnpoli
At #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned, Megan Garcia (Mother, Lawyer, and Advocate) and Meetali Jain (@techjusticelaw.bsky.social) joined Ava Smithing (Young People's Alliance & Centre Youth Fellow) to talk about the latest threat to children online: AI chatbots. 🧵
November 14, 2025 at 10:08 PM
At #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned, Megan Garcia (Mother, Lawyer, and Advocate) and Meetali Jain (@techjusticelaw.bsky.social) joined Ava Smithing (Young People's Alliance & Centre Youth Fellow) to talk about the latest threat to children online: AI chatbots. 🧵
Reposted by Centre for Media, Technology & Democracy
We sre really looking forward to this online event and this collaboration with the @mediatechdemocracy.bsky.social
November 14, 2025 at 9:00 PM
We sre really looking forward to this online event and this collaboration with the @mediatechdemocracy.bsky.social
We are very excited to partner with @migsinstitute.bsky.social for Digital Defenders: Youth Building Resilience and Change, on Nov. 17th
This upcoming seminar will explore how youth respond to challenges of the digital age! 🧵
This upcoming seminar will explore how youth respond to challenges of the digital age! 🧵
November 13, 2025 at 4:00 PM
We are very excited to partner with @migsinstitute.bsky.social for Digital Defenders: Youth Building Resilience and Change, on Nov. 17th
This upcoming seminar will explore how youth respond to challenges of the digital age! 🧵
This upcoming seminar will explore how youth respond to challenges of the digital age! 🧵
"Every innovation forces societies to decide if they want to govern technology or to be governed by it. The answer has never been less innovation, but more accountability." This was the reminder that @michaelmcgratheu.bsky.social gave us when opening #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned 🧵
November 12, 2025 at 5:00 PM
"Every innovation forces societies to decide if they want to govern technology or to be governed by it. The answer has never been less innovation, but more accountability." This was the reminder that @michaelmcgratheu.bsky.social gave us when opening #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned 🧵
In April, Jim Balsillie (former Chair & Co-CEO, Research in Motion) joined @taylorowen.bsky.social on the Machines Like Us podcast, where he asserted that Canada's problem isn't Trump, "Canada's problem is Canada."
At #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned, they reunited to talk about un-capturing democracy. 🧵
At #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned, they reunited to talk about un-capturing democracy. 🧵
November 11, 2025 at 6:24 PM
In April, Jim Balsillie (former Chair & Co-CEO, Research in Motion) joined @taylorowen.bsky.social on the Machines Like Us podcast, where he asserted that Canada's problem isn't Trump, "Canada's problem is Canada."
At #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned, they reunited to talk about un-capturing democracy. 🧵
At #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned, they reunited to talk about un-capturing democracy. 🧵
At #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned, @yoshuabengio.bsky.social (Co-President & Scientific Director of @law-zero.bsky.social and Founder & Scientific Advisor of @mila-quebec.bsky.social) stressed the need to disentangle transparency of how AI is built versus transparency of what is going on inside the AI. 🧵
November 7, 2025 at 8:00 PM
At #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned, @yoshuabengio.bsky.social (Co-President & Scientific Director of @law-zero.bsky.social and Founder & Scientific Advisor of @mila-quebec.bsky.social) stressed the need to disentangle transparency of how AI is built versus transparency of what is going on inside the AI. 🧵
Reposted by Centre for Media, Technology & Democracy
🤨 Who benefits from disinformation?
@bostonjoan.bsky.social, Assistant Professor of Journalism and Emerging Media Studies at Boston University, on this week's The AmberMac Show podcast.
📹 Recorded at Attention: Govern or be Governed @mediatechdemocracy.bsky.social
cc @jeffmacarthur.bsky.social
@bostonjoan.bsky.social, Assistant Professor of Journalism and Emerging Media Studies at Boston University, on this week's The AmberMac Show podcast.
📹 Recorded at Attention: Govern or be Governed @mediatechdemocracy.bsky.social
cc @jeffmacarthur.bsky.social
November 6, 2025 at 1:06 PM
🤨 Who benefits from disinformation?
@bostonjoan.bsky.social, Assistant Professor of Journalism and Emerging Media Studies at Boston University, on this week's The AmberMac Show podcast.
📹 Recorded at Attention: Govern or be Governed @mediatechdemocracy.bsky.social
cc @jeffmacarthur.bsky.social
@bostonjoan.bsky.social, Assistant Professor of Journalism and Emerging Media Studies at Boston University, on this week's The AmberMac Show podcast.
📹 Recorded at Attention: Govern or be Governed @mediatechdemocracy.bsky.social
cc @jeffmacarthur.bsky.social
One of the guiding themes of #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned was how we can build digital technologies with humans in mind. This question has informed much of Frank McCourt's work, as the Founder of @projectliberty.io and Executive Chairman of McCourt Global. 🧵
#Attention2025
#Attention2025
November 6, 2025 at 8:49 PM
One of the guiding themes of #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned was how we can build digital technologies with humans in mind. This question has informed much of Frank McCourt's work, as the Founder of @projectliberty.io and Executive Chairman of McCourt Global. 🧵
#Attention2025
#Attention2025
Reposted by Centre for Media, Technology & Democracy
As Canada prepares for COP30, accurate climate information is more important than ever for effective climate action. The UN’s Global Initiative on Climate Change Information Integrity underscores that policy ambition cannot succeed without trustworthy information environments. 🧵
November 5, 2025 at 6:22 PM
As Canada prepares for COP30, accurate climate information is more important than ever for effective climate action. The UN’s Global Initiative on Climate Change Information Integrity underscores that policy ambition cannot succeed without trustworthy information environments. 🧵
Reposted by Centre for Media, Technology & Democracy
Amid the rise of climate disinformation and obstruction in Canada, our October 2025 polling from the Media Ecosystem Observatory, led by @sonjasolomun.bsky.social and @chrispyross.bsky.social, indicates that Canadians share this concern.
#climateaction #COP30 #climatechange
#climateaction #COP30 #climatechange
November 5, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Amid the rise of climate disinformation and obstruction in Canada, our October 2025 polling from the Media Ecosystem Observatory, led by @sonjasolomun.bsky.social and @chrispyross.bsky.social, indicates that Canadians share this concern.
#climateaction #COP30 #climatechange
#climateaction #COP30 #climatechange
Reposted by Centre for Media, Technology & Democracy
86% of Canadians believe that during extreme weather events governments should require social media platforms to ensure the accuracy of information and prevent the promotion of disinformation.
November 5, 2025 at 6:22 PM
86% of Canadians believe that during extreme weather events governments should require social media platforms to ensure the accuracy of information and prevent the promotion of disinformation.
Reposted by Centre for Media, Technology & Democracy
82% of Canadians want Canada to participate in global efforts to strengthen information integrity on digital platforms.
November 5, 2025 at 6:22 PM
82% of Canadians want Canada to participate in global efforts to strengthen information integrity on digital platforms.
Reposted by Centre for Media, Technology & Democracy
78% of Canadians express concern about online disinformation related to climate change, while 88% report concern about public health disinformation.
November 5, 2025 at 6:22 PM
78% of Canadians express concern about online disinformation related to climate change, while 88% report concern about public health disinformation.
Reposted by Centre for Media, Technology & Democracy
78% of Canadians are worried about harmful information circulating during crises such as wildfires and floods.
November 5, 2025 at 6:22 PM
78% of Canadians are worried about harmful information circulating during crises such as wildfires and floods.