Foreign ministry rang alarm bell over challenges in countering disinformation online

In a memo released by a federal inquiry into foreign interference, Canada s foreign ministry expressed concern over its diminishing capacity to counter foreign disinformation online. The memo, attributed to then-deputy minister of foreign affairs Marta Morgan, highlighted the challenges faced due to limited access to data and the evolving tactics of adversaries. The memo revealed that Canada had been a leader in the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism, which utilized open source data analytics to identify and respond to threats to democracy. However, the data analytics capacity had become increasingly constrained in recent months, mainly due to a sudden and unforeseen denial of sanctioned access to data from social media platforms. The memo s timeline suggests it was written between summer 2020 and October 2022, around the time Morgan retired from the public service. The Rapid Response Mechanism, based at Global Affairs Canada, produces open data analysis to track trends, strategies, and tactics in foreign interference. It employs both commercial and in-house tools to monitor cyberspace for signs of state-sponsored information manipulation. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on September 25, 2024. In summary, the memo underscores the growing challenges faced by Canada in countering foreign disinformation online, primarily due to limited access to data and evolving adversary tactics. The G7 Rapid Response Mechanism, which relies on open source data analytics, has been impacted by these constraints, raising concerns about the country s ability to protect its democracy from foreign interference.

Source: lethbridgeherald.com
Published on 2024-09-25

Foreign ministry raised alarm on countering disinformation »

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