Editor’s Note: This article draws on the author’s reflections following their participation as a speaker at Defending the Democratic Public Sphere in the Age of AI, the second roundtable in the CIC National Dialogue Series. Presented in partnership with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) Canada, the series asks what choices Canada must make to exercise real influence in a fractured world.

On August 18, Premier Danielle Smith acknowledged that Alberta’s looming 10-question referendum was being targeted by foreign influence campaigns. This should not come as a surprise. Researchers and experts have been sounding the alarm for months, warning that Alberta was both vulnerable and ill-equipped to deal with potential manipulation ahead of the vote on October 19.

A Fragmented Digital Landscape

Foreign interference and disinformation are only slices of a much larger pie. Albertans are being asked to make a decision in a highly contested, politically charged environment, without a clear sense of where to find trusted information. The environment was already fragmented, with news banned on Meta platforms since 2023, but now, during a deeply contentious provincial referendum, the gaps are being filled by foreign actors, recycled content, influencers, and AI slop that stokes division online. 

The consequences for democracy are high, and they extend beyond whether someone believes misinformation or disinformation.

Media and information literacy is key. Can people distinguish between real and manipulated content? Can they identify the signs that point to........

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