Ontarios chief electoral officer seeks more tools to fight misinformation [Video]

The rise of artificial intelligence and its ability to rapidly spread misinformation and disinformation during election campaigns should be addressed by increasing transparency around political ads and allowing for the removal of misleading content about the electoral process, Ontario’s chief electoral officer recommends.

Greg Essensa recently tabled a report in the Ontario legislature, asking the government to update laws to give him more tools to protect the integrity of the electoral process.

“The current authority of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) under the Election Act and the Election Finances Act to investigate, thwart and punish misconduct is insufficient to address growing threats in a rapidly evolving digital landscape where voter perceptions can be improperly manipulated by fake news and AI-generated content that is amplified by algorithms,” Essensa wrote.

The report largely deals with concerns around communications about the electoral process itself, such as false or misleading information about voting procedures, ballot counting, candidacy withdrawals and …