Max Bell School of Public Policy - Taylor Owen on media, technology, and democracy

Machine Like Us Podcast Series | The Globe and Mail

91�� — Tue, 07 May 2024 14:53:04 +0000

May 7, 2024 | We are living in an age of breakthroughs propelled by advances in artificial intelligence. Technologies that were once the realm of science fiction are now transpiring into our reality. Machine Like Us is a technology show where every other Tuesday Taylor Owen sits down with the people shaping this rapidly approaching future.

What the tick tock of online regulation says about our digital discourse | CBC Radio

91�� — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 17:08:29 +0000

March 17, 2024 | In this episode of The Sunday Magazine, Taylor Owen joins a discussion on digital discourse and the future of online safety regulation. The US House of Representatives voted to pass a bill that could lead to a nationwide ban against TikTok. Professor Owen speaks on Canada's standpoint with this decision, and how the federal government has launched a national security review of the video-sharing app.

AI and Canada's proposed Online Harms Act | GZERO

91�� — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 20:27:19 +0000

March 5, 2024 | In this episode of GZERO AI, Professor Taylor Owen takes a look at the Canadian government’s Online Harms Act, which seeks to hold social media companies responsible for harmful content.

How we can move forward, now that the divisive Bill C-18 is law | The Globe and Mail

91�� — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 19:49:40 +0000

July 23, 2023 | In this opinion piece by Taylor Owen and Supriya Dwivedi, they reflect on the passage of Bill C-18, the Online News Act, where the government is hoping that Google and Meta would expand the deals they currently have with some Canadian publishers to a wider range of outlets. On the other hand, tech companies are clearly using Canada as a trial to other jurisdictions in the process of enacting similar policies. The piece the highlights where to go from here.

Curbing Online Harms | CBC Radio

91�� — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 14:14:11 +0000

June 20, 2022 | With the Canadian Commission on Democratic Expression's new report hot off the press, Commission co-chair and Max Bell School professor Taylor Owen sat down for an interview with CBC Radio to discuss the recommendations on curbing online harm that he and his colleagues have proposed.

Stronger government regulation of social media companies could improve free speech, says expert | CBC Radio

91�� — Mon, 02 May 2022 16:01:57 +0000

In an interview with CBC Radio, Max Bell School professor Taylor Owen—who leads the School's Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy—opined on the role regulation can play in safeguarding free speech and online safety.

Access the interview.

Whose speech will Elon Musk’s Twitter be protecting, exactly? | Globe and Mail

91�� — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 16:08:46 +0000

April 27, 2022 | Taylor Owen and Supriya Dwivedi of the Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy write that Elon Musk's recent purchase of Twitter might strengthen the democratic governance that social media companies have fought against.

>>Read the article

New podcast brings leading research on kids and tech to the mainstream

91�� — Thu, 10 Mar 2022 15:22:58 +0000

It’s one of the most pressing questions for researchers and families today: How are children affected by digital technology? Parents, caregivers, experts and policymakers are struggling to understand what’s best for kids online in an effort to keep up with the rapid pace and scale of technology. Screen Time is a new podcast where we search for answers to the biggest questions out there on kids and technology.

How to protect children from Big Tech's harms | The National Post

91�� — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 19:29:04 +0000

November 7, 2021 | Co-written by Max Bell School Professor Taylor Owen with Sonja Solomun, their article in the National Post looks at how the recently leaked Facebook Papers have spurred public concern and further debate on how policy should endeavor make these platforms more transparent and accountable.

Read the article.

Taylor Owen on What the Latest Facebook Revelations Mean for Canada’s Online Harms Legislative Plans | The Law Bytes Podcast

91�� — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 14:55:08 +0000

October 18, 2021 | Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen's damning revelations about the harms caused by Facebook and its suite of other social media platforms have spurred American policymakers to action. Listen to Max Bell School professor Taylor Owen's thoughts on the implications of the latest Facebook revelations on Canada's policy efforts to fight online harms.

Listen to the podcast.

We have the regulatory tools we need to fix Facebook | Globe and Mail

91�� — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 15:38:36 +0000

October 14, 2021 | In this opinion piece, Max Bell School professor Taylor Owen, former Supreme Court chief justice Beverley McLachlin, and chair of the Canadian Citizens' Assembly on Democratic Expression, Peter MacLeod argue that the latest Facebook controversy surrounding the testimony by Facebook whistle-blower Frances Haugen has the potential to change the debate about regulating social media. They also explain why the

How to fix Facebook | Globe and Mail

91�� — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 19:23:17 +0000

October 6, 2021 | In this episode of the Globe and Mail'sThe Decibel 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

91�� — Mon, 16 Aug 2021 16:18:46 +0000

August 13, 2021 | "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 in the discourse surrounding online privacy. To learn more about the digital tools currently being used to circumvent anonymity and the far-reaching socio-political influences of encryption technology, read on.

Read the article here.

Canada shouldn’t turn away from the difficult task of regulating online speech | The Globe and Mail

91�� — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 15:21:32 +0000

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

91�� — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 18:51:35 +0000

March 5, 2021 | Google and Facebook have dominated digital advertising in search and social networking, creating a business model that is not based on the distribution of reliable information. Following the Australian government's recent mandate on tech regulation, Max Bell School Professor Taylor Owen discusses the plight of independent media and the reputable journalistic institutions that are at stake.

To govern Big Tech, listen to those most harmed by it | National Post

91�� — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 15:03:23 +0000

March 19, 2021 | Taylor Owen's latest piece for the National Post delves into algorithmic bias and the disproportionate harms Big Tech inflicts on people of colour. One piece of the solution? "Amplify the diverse voices of those with most knowledge of technology’s injustices."

Read the article.

Is Big Tech ungovernable? | Globe and Mail

91�� — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 20:13:27 +0000

February 26, 2021 | 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. Reflecting on recent attempts to address the harms caused big tech, Max Bell School Professor Taylor Owen argues that the governance struggle between Big Tech and the nation state is actually about the future of liberal democracy itself.

New report on protecting democratic expression online | Public Policy Forum

91�� — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 20:59:17 +0000

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.

Read the Commission's report here.

Trump’s social-media ban clouds a bigger crisis: the power and systemic failure of Big Tech | The Globe and Mail

91�� — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 18:28:56 +0000

January 14, 2021 | In his opinion piece in The Globe and Mail, Max Bell School professor Taylor Owen discusses 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.

Read the article

The vaccine will only work if enough people take it | Globe and Mail

91�� — Tue, 05 Jan 2021 21:34:41 +0000

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 Media Ecosystem Observatory unpack the cause and solutions to vaccine hesitancy in Canada.

Read the article.

Understanding vaccine hesitancy in Canada: attitudes, beliefs, and the information ecosystem

91�� — Tue, 05 Jan 2021 21:21:29 +0000

December 2020 | This new report by the Media Ecosystem Observatory 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 best opportunity to reach those who are unsure is to address important concerns around the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine.

Read the report.

New Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy launched at 91��’s Max Bell School of Public Policy

91�� — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 13:52:35 +0000

The Centre is 91��’s 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

91�� — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 15:51:25 +0000

August 17, 2020 | Since the start of this year, there have been increasing calls for the Canadian government to impose a national moratorium on facial recognition technology. This demand arises from the possibility that law enforcement will use facial recognition to discriminate against certain demographics and worsen discrimination in the justice system. A moratorium would provide legislators time to develop a comprehensive and effective policy regulating FR technology and the data it collects, uses, and shares.

Algorithm 'gatekeepers' undermine democracy and health | Montreal Gazette

91�� — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 14:32:47 +0000

August 6, 2020 | Social media and other digital platforms have begun to overtake traditional journalism as our primary sources of information. The communications difficulties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic have demonstrated how this trend will prove to have drastic consequences on the reliability of information in our democracies. Max Bell School Professor Taylor Owen co-authored this op-ed with Ben Scott, in which they look at how misinformation, disinformation, online hate, state propaganda and partisan news result from our current information ecosystem.

COVID-19: Social media users more likely to believe false information

91�� — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 13:36:49 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Montreal, July 29, 2020

A new study led by researchers at 91�� 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.

Can an ad boycott fix Facebook's hate speech problem? | CBC News

91�� — Wed, 08 Jul 2020 16:40:45 +0000

July 6, 2020 | Over 800 companies are pulling their ads from Facebook in response to the Stop Hate for Profit boycott, led by civil rights groups who want to remove hate speech from the platform. Will threatening the company's bottom line motivate them into action? Max Bell School Professor Taylor Owen goes on the CBC's Front Burner to discuss the propagation of hate speech on social media. Listen in to learn about the ways that platforms can be incentivized to deal with fake news and discriminatory content.

COVID-19 pandemic unites Canadians like no other event in recent history: study | CTV News

91�� — Mon, 25 May 2020 15:57:13 +0000

May 25, 2020 | The study co-led by Professor Taylor Owen found that among Canadians, there is cross-partisan consensus on the threat the virus poses and measures that need to be taken to battle it. The study also found that when there isn’t a consensus – which is the case in the United States – compliance with physical distancing guidelines is undermined, which poses an obvious threat.

A Rare Moment of Cross-Partisan Consensus: Elite and Public Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Canada | Canadian Journal of Political Science

91�� — Thu, 21 May 2020 16:24:30 +0000

April 16, 2020 | The COVID-19 pandemic has placed nearly unprecedented pressure on policymakers and citizens alike. Effectively containing the pandemic requires a societal consensus. However, a long line of research in political science has told us that polarization tends to occur on highly salient topics because partisans “follow the leader.” Elite consensus is thus essential to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.

The Causes and Consequences of COVID-19 Misperceptions: Understanding the Role of News and Social Media | OSF Preprints

91�� — Thu, 21 May 2020 16:17:11 +0000

May 4, 2020 | This research investigates the relationship between media consumption, misinformation, and important attitudes and behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. Professor Taylor Owen, co-author of this article, finds that comparatively more misinformation circulates on social media platforms, while traditional news media tend to reinforce public health recommendations like social distancing.

Anti-intellectualism and Information Preferences during the COVID-19 Pandemic | OSF Preprints

91�� — Thu, 21 May 2020 16:11:07 +0000

May 14, 2020 | The COVID-19 pandemic necessitates widespread voluntary and sustained public compliance with expert-guided public health directives, like social or physical distancing. Understanding which citizens seek out and engage with expert messages regarding COVID-19 is thus of central importance. Anti-intellectualism - the generalized distrust of experts and intellectuals – is likely to be a dominant factor. This article, co-written by Professor Taylor Owen, investigates the associations between anti-intellectualism and COVID-19 risk perceptions and social distancing compliance.

Prospective Economic Costs Undermine Expectations of Social Distancing | OSF Preprints

91�� — Thu, 21 May 2020 16:01:48 +0000

May 20, 2020 | The COVID-19 pandemic has placed an extraordinary burden on governments and citizens alike. In order to contain the spread of the pandemic and limit its effect on health care systems, citizens have been asked to forego social and economic activity to protect others at a tremendous cost to themselves.

A Post-COVID-19 Digital Bretton Woods | Project Syndicate

91�� — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 19:43:29 +0000

April 17, 2020 | The digital age has completely disrupted global governance. Now that COVID-19 has disrupted nearly everything else, it is time to start planning for what comes next, say Max Bell School professor Taylor Owen and Rohinton P. Medhora.

COVID-19 is helping to unite Canadians like nothing has in years — and we'll need unity for what's to come | CBC News

91�� — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 15:53:31 +0000

April 9, 2020 | Canada's response to the COVID-19 pandemic stands in marked contrast to that of the United States, and the crisis seems to be helping to unite Canadians like no other event in years. Read what Peter Loewen, Taylor Owen and Derek Ruths had to say.

Let’s face the facts: To ensure our digital rights, we must hit pause on facial-recognition technology | The Globe and Mail

91�� — Thu, 20 Feb 2020 15:48:32 +0000

February 14, 2020 |Rapid advances in facial-recognition technology have the potential for vast social consequences. In response to the scale and speed of these developments and the clear potential for harm, a movement has emerged to ban facial recognition. In this op-ed, Max Bell School professor Taylor Owen and Nasma Ahmed call for the need to move ahead with caution and deliberation, highlighting the urgency for regulatory frameworks.

Federal government warning of voter coercion, foreign election interference through private messaging services | CBC News

91�� — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 15:07:55 +0000

February 9, 2020| The federal government is worried about the risk of voter coercion and foreign election interference through private messaging services — a concern that could pit the right to privacy and free expression against Canada's election laws.

Taylor Owen on deepfakes | CBC The National

91�� — Tue, 14 Jan 2020 17:44:56 +0000

January 7, 2020 | There are serious concerns about how Facebook will police deepfake videos. Max Bell School professor Taylor Owen talks about why these sophisticated videos need editorial oversight.

19 million Canadians have had their data breached in eight months

91�� — Mon, 23 Sep 2019 20:55:09 +0000

September 2, 2019 | An estimated 19 million Canadians have been affected by data breaches between November 2018 and June 2019, according to numbers obtained by "Attention Control with Kevin Newman," a new podcast that launched Monday. The numbers come from 446 breaches that were reported to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC). Victims of these kinds of data breaches are vulnerable to identity theft, financial crime, even violence in some cases.

Canadian polarized, but social media use likely not the culprit: study

91�� — Mon, 23 Sep 2019 20:59:26 +0000

September 12, 2019 | Social media might not be to blame for Canadians’ ideological polarization, a new report on digital democracy in Canada finds. “A lot of people don’t use social media very actively,” said Eric Merkley, a researcher on the project. “People on Twitter are not representative of the broader population.”

Fake news preys on emotions, expert warns

91�� — Mon, 23 Sep 2019 20:50:52 +0000

August 10, 2019| Beware of things you see online that make you emotional, one media expert warns ahead of the fall election. Taylor Owen, professor at 91�� and the co-creator of the Digital Democracy Project, says fake news often preys on feelings like anger and fear.

Listen to the Interview

Canadians' media-consumption habits lead to misinformation, study finds

91�� — Mon, 23 Sep 2019 20:45:58 +0000

August 7, 2019 | Canadians aren’t as divided into partisan echo chambers as social media would suggest, but a heavy news diet doesn't guarantee you'll be informed, a new study has found.

Read the Article

Digital Ecosystem Research Challenge Winners Announced

91�� — Thu, 15 Aug 2019 19:38:07 +0000

The Digital Ecosystem Research Challenge has awarded 18 Research Awards ranging from $3,000 to $75,000 to research teams from Canada and abroad. The Digital Ecosystem Research Challenge is a collaborative effort between Dr. Taylor Owen, Associate Professor in the Max Bell School of Public Policy, 91�� and Dr. Elizabeth Dubois, Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication and a Centre for Law, Technology and Society Faculty Member at the University of Ottawa.

Canadians' media-consumption habits lead to misinformation | National Observer

91�� — Thu, 08 Aug 2019 17:57:27 +0000

August 7, 2019 | A report published by the Digital Democracy Project suggests that overall misinformation levels in Canada are low. However, certain trends in media consumption put news consumers and voters more at risk to be misinformed about key political issues. To learn more about how information and disinformation flow through journalistic and social media channels in the run-up to the October federal election, read the National Observer's article here.

People with strong partisan views get more facts wrong on a current events test: survey | Global News

91�� — Thu, 08 Aug 2019 16:59:49 +0000

August 8, 2019 | A survey launched by the Digital Democracy Project found that most Canadians across the political spectrum got a common set of facts from an array of mainstream media outlets. The report also highlighted voters' tendencies to select and consume news from sources that support their political beliefs, generating so-called echo chambers.

Canadians who hold strong links to political parties more likely to be misinformed about politics | The Star

91�� — Thu, 08 Aug 2019 16:31:37 +0000

August 8, 2019 | The Digital Democracy Project, an initiative of Max Bell School of Public Policy in collaboration with the Public Policy Forum, analyzes the increasing amounts of disinformation and hate in the digital public sphere. A new study shows the links between political affiliation and misinformation.

News that's safe to use: Researchers aim to track information during campaign | CBC News

91�� — Thu, 08 Aug 2019 16:14:40 +0000

August 8, 2019 | In an age where information is increasingly scrutinized yet more easily diffusable than ever, Canadians might be more misinformed than disinformed. New findings from the Digital Democracy Project show how information ricochets around the Canadian political landscape. Learn more about the ways in which exposure to certain news outlets affects voters and the democractic processes in elections.

Digital Ecosystem Research Challenge Launched ahead of 2019 Election

91�� — Wed, 10 Jul 2019 15:27:15 +0000

Dr. Taylor Owen, holder of the Beaverbrook Chair in Ethics, Media and Communications received, with Dr. Elizabeth Dubois (University of Ottawa), a Canada History Fund grant to run the Digital Ecosystem Research Challenge. They have launched a call for proposals for projects examining the uses and impacts of digital media in the 2019 Canadian Federal Election.

Federal election easy prey for social media manipulators, experts warn | CBC News

91�� — Wed, 26 Jun 2019 15:20:03 +0000

JUNE 24, 2019 | Taylor Owen, an expert in the political impact of digital technologies, warns that the social media infrastructure is to blame for the spread of fake news and political interference. "What's wrong with this infrastructure is that it is calibrated for engagement," he says. Taylor Owen's segment on a special news report for The National can be found here.

Election interference is happening in Canada: What you can do to stop it | CBC News

91�� — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 18:06:32 +0000

June 25, 2019 | Online interference is happening in the run-up to Canada's fall federal election. CBC News looked at who's behind it and what you can do to stop it. The interview featured Taylor Owen, Max Bell School professor and Beaverbrook Chair in Media, Ethics, and Communications. Taylor Owen spoke about how the design of our digital infrastructure and social media platforms are manipulable when it comes to election campaigns and political speech.

Taylor Owen in The Globe and Mail: Who will answer the Christchurch Call? Nobody, if tech platforms continue ungoverned | OPINION

91�� — Fri, 24 May 2019 14:34:49 +0000

May 23, 2019 | Taylor Owen, Beaverbrook Chair in Media, Ethics and Communication at the Max Bell School of Public Policy, writes that the Christchurch Call might be a missed opportunity for governments to move toward global digital governance. He says " [the Christchurch Call] has no enforceable mandates, it focuses overwhelmingly on technical fixes to what are also political, social and economic problems and its framing around terrorism and hate speech is far too narrow, treating the symptom of the problem while ignoring the underlying disease."

Canada to announce framework for accountability & transparency from social media platforms | Primetime Politics

91�� — Fri, 17 May 2019 20:36:31 +0000

May 15, 2019 | Digital media expert and Professor at the Max Bell School of Public Policy, Taylor Owen explains Canada's Digital Charter, the federal government'a latest engagement to provide a framework for accountability and transparency from social media platforms. He believes the greater question to date is whether, and how national regulations will apply to tech giants and corporations based in the United States.

Watch the full interview here

Des politiciens s'engagent à tenir tête aux géants de la technologie | Radio Canada

91�� — Fri, 17 May 2019 18:29:43 +0000

May 12, 2019 | Social media companies are beginning to worry politicians around the world. In the context of the coming 2019 election, elected officials are worried that non-compliance with current laws may pose a threat to Canadian democracy. Max Bell School Professor and digital expert Taylor Owen asserts that it is not too late for Canada to beef up its laws and regulate tech giants.

Read the full article here

The Christchurch Call: toward a global effort to fight online hate speech | Globe and Mail

91�� — Fri, 17 May 2019 18:14:21 +0000

May 15, 2019 | World leaders including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, France's President Emmanuel Macron and New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern met at the "Christchurch Call" summit to discuss steps in eradicating online hate speech. Digital governance expert Taylor Owen argues that national regulations protecting user privacy and data ownership may come into force earlier than we may think.

Read the full article here

Canada's new ‘Digital Charter’ | Welland Tribune

91�� — Fri, 17 May 2019 17:33:16 +0000

May 12, 2019 | Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently announced the new Digital Charter, an attempt for the government to step in and regulate tech giants. This framework aims at setting expectations on issues such as data ownership, privacy protections and the online dissemination of hate. Digital expert and 91��'s Chair of Media, Ethics and Communications Taylor Owen shares his views on this new framework.

Read the full article

Will Canada regulate tech giants? Taylor Owen weighs in | Vancouver Sun

91�� — Fri, 17 May 2019 16:00:24 +0000

May 12, 2019 | Politicians are increasingly concerned that social media giants such as Facebook and Twitter have become so powerful and rich that they are effectively above the law — at least in a small country like Canada. Taylor Owen, 91��'s Chair in Media, Ethics and Communications and Max Bell School spoke about the challenges in implementing international regulations on hate speech, but maintains that Canada is in a position to strengthen their laws.

Taylor Owen on the "Christchurch Call" | CBC Radio

91�� — Thu, 16 May 2019 20:55:04 +0000

May 15, 2019 | Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other world leaders reunited in Paris for the "Christchurch Call" summit. This meeting brought together politicians and industry leaders in tech to fight the spread of online extremism. 91��'s Chair of Media, Ethics and Communications Taylor Owen was invited to CBC's Front Burner to discuss the challenges in implementing efficient measures to combat online hate speech.

Taylor Owen on the challenges of moderating online content | CBC News

91�� — Thu, 16 May 2019 15:51:22 +0000

May 15, 2019 | 91��'s Chair of Media, Ethics and Communications Taylor Owen joined CBC's Andrew Nichols to talk about the challenges in tackling online extremism. The technical challenges faced by world leaders and companies are, he says, very intricate and nuanced and require careful scanning and moderating. Beyond these technical difficulties, there is also a political dimension to this issue that requires a societal discussion on how "hate speech regulations" should be implemented.

Regulating Social Media Giants | The Reporter

91�� — Wed, 10 Apr 2019 16:12:51 +0000

April 9, 2019 | The Canadian government is now considering to actively regulate social media platforms such as Facebook, given the lack of results from self-regulation. "We better get the democratic governance right if we have any hope of pushing back against the autocratic model," said Taylor Owen, an associate professor at the Max Bell School of Public Policy at 91�� in Montreal. "The challenge of (content moderation) is that it's the most difficult piece of this puzzle."

Why are governments slow to regulate social media? | Global News

91�� — Wed, 10 Apr 2019 15:29:31 +0000

April 8, 2019 | Social media has been deeply ingrained in our daily lives and with the current spread of hate and misinformation, governments have been slow to regulate social media companies. Taylor Owen from 91�� Univeristy, speaks with Global National’s Dawna Friesen on what can and should be done to stop the spread these false information and hate online.

Watch the interview

Taylor Owen cited in article about Facebook leak | CBC

91�� — Fri, 15 Mar 2019 14:36:27 +0000

Documents leaked to UK journalists reveals a global lobbying operation carried out by Facebook targeting legislators around the world, including in countries like the U.K., United States, Canada, India and Brazil.

Facebook promised to open a data centre in Canada to create jobs, in exchange for the federal government offering assurances that it would not impose its jurisdiction over the company's non-Canadian data.

Big Tech’s net loss: How governments can turn anger into action | THE GLOBE AND MAIL

91�� — Tue, 08 Jan 2019 15:04:15 +0000

Newly appointed Max Bell School of Public Policy professor Taylor Owen wrote a piece for the Globe and Mail on how governments should regulate Big Tech companies.

"There is currently a disconnect between the global scale, operation and social impact of technology companies and the national jurisdiction of most countries' tech laws and regulations. As former BlackBerry co-CEO Jim Balsillie has argued, the digital economy may need its Bretton Woods moment."

In conversation with Taylor Owen, digital media scholar | MCGILL REPORTER

91�� — Mon, 26 Nov 2018 16:13:38 +0000

Taylor Owen sat down with the 91�� Reporter to discuss media, technology, public policy and his appointment to the Max Bell School of Public Policy.

"In January 2019, Taylor Owen will be joining the Max Bell School of Public Policy. A leading scholar of media, technology and public policy, Owen, will hold the Beaverbrook Chair in Media, Ethics and Communications. Taylor Owen’s research focuses on the policy and governance challenges created by the rapid changes to the digital media and technology environment."

Max Bell School of Public Policy - Taylor Owen on media, technology, and democracy

Machine Like Us Podcast Series | The Globe and Mail

What the tick tock of online regulation says about our digital discourse | CBC Radio

AI and Canada's proposed Online Harms Act | GZERO

How we can move forward, now that the divisive Bill C-18 is law | The Globe and Mail

Curbing Online Harms | CBC Radio

Stronger government regulation of social media companies could improve free speech, says expert | CBC Radio

Whose speech will Elon Musk’s Twitter be protecting, exactly? | Globe and Mail

New podcast brings leading research on kids and tech to the mainstream

How to protect children from Big Tech's harms | The National Post

Taylor Owen on What the Latest Facebook Revelations Mean for Canada’s Online Harms Legislative Plans | The Law Bytes Podcast

We have the regulatory tools we need to fix Facebook | Globe and Mail

How to fix Facebook | Globe and Mail

In the digital age, who has a right to be anonymous and whose information has a right to be secure? | The Globe and Mail

Canada shouldn’t turn away from the difficult task of regulating online speech | The Globe and Mail

Saving Journalism from Big Tech | Project Syndicate

To govern Big Tech, listen to those most harmed by it | National Post

Is Big Tech ungovernable? | Globe and Mail

New report on protecting democratic expression online | Public Policy Forum

Trump’s social-media ban clouds a bigger crisis: the power and systemic failure of Big Tech | The Globe and Mail

The vaccine will only work if enough people take it | Globe and Mail

Understanding vaccine hesitancy in Canada: attitudes, beliefs, and the information ecosystem

New Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy launched at 91����’s Max Bell School of Public Policy

Implications of a Moratorium on Public Use of Facial Recognition Technology in Canada | Tech Informed Policy

Algorithm 'gatekeepers' undermine democracy and health | Montreal Gazette

COVID-19: Social media users more likely to believe false information

Can an ad boycott fix Facebook's hate speech problem? | CBC News

COVID-19 pandemic unites Canadians like no other event in recent history: study | CTV News

A Rare Moment of Cross-Partisan Consensus: Elite and Public Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Canada | Canadian Journal of Political Science

The Causes and Consequences of COVID-19 Misperceptions: Understanding the Role of News and Social Media | OSF Preprints

Anti-intellectualism and Information Preferences during the COVID-19 Pandemic | OSF Preprints

Prospective Economic Costs Undermine Expectations of Social Distancing | OSF Preprints

A Post-COVID-19 Digital Bretton Woods | Project Syndicate

COVID-19 is helping to unite Canadians like nothing has in years — and we'll need unity for what's to come | CBC News

Let’s face the facts: To ensure our digital rights, we must hit pause on facial-recognition technology | The Globe and Mail

Federal government warning of voter coercion, foreign election interference through private messaging services | CBC News

Taylor Owen on deepfakes | CBC The National

19 million Canadians have had their data breached in eight months

Canadian polarized, but social media use likely not the culprit: study

Fake news preys on emotions, expert warns

Canadians' media-consumption habits lead to misinformation, study finds

Digital Ecosystem Research Challenge Winners Announced

Canadians' media-consumption habits lead to misinformation | National Observer

People with strong partisan views get more facts wrong on a current events test: survey | Global News

Canadians who hold strong links to political parties more likely to be misinformed about politics | The Star

News that's safe to use: Researchers aim to track information during campaign | CBC News

Digital Ecosystem Research Challenge Launched ahead of 2019 Election

Federal election easy prey for social media manipulators, experts warn | CBC News

Election interference is happening in Canada: What you can do to stop it | CBC News

Taylor Owen in The Globe and Mail: Who will answer the Christchurch Call? Nobody, if tech platforms continue ungoverned | OPINION

Canada to announce framework for accountability & transparency from social media platforms | Primetime Politics

Des politiciens s'engagent à tenir tête aux géants de la technologie | Radio Canada

The Christchurch Call: toward a global effort to fight online hate speech | Globe and Mail

Canada's new ‘Digital Charter’ | Welland Tribune

Will Canada regulate tech giants? Taylor Owen weighs in | Vancouver Sun

Taylor Owen on the "Christchurch Call" | CBC Radio

Taylor Owen on the challenges of moderating online content | CBC News

Regulating Social Media Giants | The Reporter

Why are governments slow to regulate social media? | Global News

Taylor Owen cited in article about Facebook leak | CBC

Big Tech’s net loss: How governments can turn anger into action | THE GLOBE AND MAIL

In conversation with Taylor Owen, digital media scholar | MCGILL REPORTER

New Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy launched at 91��’s Max Bell School of Public Policy