We have the regulatory tools we need to fix Facebook | Globe and Mail
聽October 14, 2021 | In this opinion piece, Max Bell School professor Taylor Owen,聽former Supreme Court chief justice聽Beverley McLachlin, and聽chair of the Canadian Citizens' Assembly on Democratic Expression, Peter MacLeod argue that聽the latest Facebook controversy surrounding the testimony by Facebook whistle-blower Frances Haugen has the potential to聽change the debate a
How to fix Facebook | Globe and Mail
October 6, 2021 | In this episode of the Globe and Mail'sThe Decibel聽podcast, Max Bell School professor Taylor Owen speaks about harmful effects of Facebook's addictive nature and what we can do about it.
Listen to the podcast
In the digital age, who has a right to be anonymous and whose information has a right to be secure? | The Globe and Mail
August 13, 2021 |聽 "Anonymity is seen by many as an inherent right in the digital age. But is this right absolute?". In this op-ed in the Globe and Mail, Max Bell School Professor Taylor Owen takes a critical look at the shift聽in the discourse surrounding online privacy. To learn more about the digital tools聽currently being used to circumvent anonymity and the far-reaching socio-political influences of encryption technology, read on.
Canada shouldn鈥檛 turn away from the difficult task of regulating online speech | The Globe and Mail
June 25, 2021 | How can policy strike the right balance between the protection of free speech and mitigating the impact of online hate? Professor Taylor Owen provides insight into this nuanced issue, proposing ways to hold online platforms accountable for harmful content in a manner which prioritizes democratic freedoms. Also, take a look at Professor Owen's Twitter thread to learn more.
Saving Journalism from Big Tech | Project Syndicate
March 5, 2021 |聽Google and Facebook聽have dominated聽digital advertising in search and social networking, creating a business model that is not based on the distribution of reliable information.
To govern Big Tech, listen to those most harmed by it | National Post
March 19, 2021 | Taylor Owen's latest piece for the National Post delves into聽algorithmic bias and the disproportionate harms Big Tech inflicts on people of colour. One piece of the solution? "Amplify聽the diverse voices of those with most knowledge of technology鈥檚 injustices."
Read the article.
Is Big Tech ungovernable? | Globe and Mail
February 26, 2021 |聽It is increasingly clear that the many benefits of digital platforms such as Facebook, Amazon and Google come with significant economic, social and political costs.
New report on protecting democratic expression online | Public Policy Forum
Supported by the Max Bell School's Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy, the Canadian Commission on Democratic Expression has released a new report detailing six recommendations to enable citizens, governments and platforms to deal with online hate speech in Canada.
Trump鈥檚 social-media ban clouds a bigger crisis: the power and systemic failure of Big Tech | The Globe and Mail
January 14, 2021 | In his opinion piece in The Globe and Mail, Max Bell School professor Taylor Owen discusses聽the effects of the recent social-media ban imposed on Donald Trump. Take a look at the article to understand how Trump's de-platforming scratches the surface of the deeper issues plaguing the current online ecosystem.聽
The vaccine will only work if enough people take it | Globe and Mail
January 5, 2020 | While the COVID-19 vaccine offers us an eventual way past the pandemic, many Canadians are unsure about taking or unwilling to take a vaccine. In this Globe and Mail article, Max Bell School Professor Taylor Owen and other researchers at the聽Media Ecosystem Observatory聽unpack the cause聽and solutions to vaccine hesitancy in Canada.
Understanding vaccine hesitancy in Canada: attitudes, beliefs, and the information ecosystem
December 2020 | This new report by the Media Ecosystem Observatory聽looks into vaccine hesitancy in Canada in the lead-up to the development of a vaccine. Key findings included that 65% of Canadians intend to take a vaccine, and that the聽best opportunity to reach those who are unsure is to address important concerns around the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine.
New Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy launched at 黑料不打烊 University鈥檚 Max Bell School of Public Policy
The Centre is 黑料不打烊鈥檚 focal point on critical research and public debate about the role of media and emerging technologies in shaping democracy and public life
Implications of a Moratorium on Public Use of Facial Recognition Technology in Canada | Tech Informed Policy
August 17, 2020 | Since the start of this year, there have been increasing calls for the Canadian government聽to impose a national moratorium on facial recognition technology. This demand arises from the possibility that law enforcement will use facial recognition聽to discriminate against certain demographics and worsen discrimination in the justice system.
Algorithm 'gatekeepers' undermine democracy and health | Montreal Gazette
August 6, 2020 | Social media and other digital聽platforms have begun to overtake traditional journalism as our primary sources of information. The communications difficulties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic have聽demonstrated how this trend will prove to have drastic consequences on the reliability of information in our democracies.
COVID-19: Social media users more likely to believe false information
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Montreal, July 29, 2020
A new study led by researchers at 黑料不打烊 University finds that people who get their news from social media are more likely to have misperceptions about COVID-19. Those that consume more traditional news media have fewer misperceptions and are more likely to follow public health recommendations like social distancing.
