Unpacking the threats posed by Big Tech, AI, and foreign meddling in our democratic processes.

Who’s really running our elections and how manipulated are we in the choices we make?

Talk Nation Radio invited three experts on the topic of election and foreign interference to look at the ways we’re persuaded and manipulated by search engine platforms in our political preferences, as well as how foreign actors and regimes interfere in our democratic processes, institutions, and compromise our political representatives.

Joining host Rodney Palmer for this edition of Talk Nation Radio: Dr. Robert Epstein, senior research psychologist and expert on Google manipulation; Michael Wernick, former Clerk of the Privy Council; and Patricia Adams, executive director of Probe International and expert on Chinese interference.

Dr. Robert Epstein’s focus of concern looks at how Google programs our minds and influences our votes before we’ve even cast our ballots. His team at the American Institute for Behavioral Research and Technology has been monitoring and collecting data on this field of interest since 2016 in all 50 U.S. states to such an extent, the data collected is unprecedented in terms of scope and is now court-admissible in its calibre of substance.

Google, says Dr. Epstein, can “easily shift” the outcome of any Canadian election by 20-80%. Assuming a conservative estimate of 20%, Google could control 4-16% of the win margin on an election day. In a closely contested election, Google’s influence could be decisive. Google also positively influences who wins by making certain stories go viral, similar to how magicians misdirect attention, says Dr. Epstein. He provides the example of Google’s homepage, which is currently sending more vote reminders to Democrats than to Republicans. When Google wants to support a candidate, says Dr. Epstein, it means  “your democracy has been taken over by the tech industry. It’s not just Google; it’s the entire industry.”

In terms of Canada’s basic process of elections, Michael Wernick reassured host Rodney Palmer that Canadians can trust that our election count will accurately reflect the ballots cast. He warns, however, of new threats such as illegal donations, sponsored third-party advertising, and the growing threat of AI-generated deep fakes. Election laws, says Mr. Wernick, must be updated to reflect the changing landscape, which he likens to “updating software on an iPhone.” Mr. Wernick recommends all Canadians become more educated about AI and disinformation.

On the subject of China’s influence on Canada’s elections, Patricia Adams says there is “no doubt about it”. Canada is an attractive target for China, she says, due to our large diaspora community, proximity to the U.S., as well as our membership in NATO and the Five Eyes (FVEY), in addition to our abundant resources. She points to the “chilling and revealing” evidence presented to the Hogue Commission on foreign interference, in combination with the House of Commons National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP) report released earlier this year. The NSICOP report acknowledged there are members of Parliament who are witting or unwitting accomplices or collaborators with the Chinese government. This includes passing information to the Chinese government about the positions of different members of Parliament, changing parliamentary activities and policies, and discouraging visits to organizations critical of China. The Hogue Commission, says Ms. Adams, has revealed improper behaviour, some of which may even constitute treason. The corruption is taking place well before election day, she says, including the selection of candidates by another country. Party procedures for nominating candidates are “wide open to abuse,” she says, and need to be tightened.

What can be done to reign in these threats to our democracy, democratic institutions and processes? Listen in! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-1-election-interference-in-canada/id1754854515?i=1000675131364