Information Trolls and Democracy: A Qualitative Examination of Disinformation Campaigns in Canada

Authors

Rachelle Louden, Simon Fraser University
Richard Frank, Simon Fraser University

Abstract

This research explores disinformation delivered during the 2019 Canadian Federal election. This study explores the methods and techniques used by the perpetrators of disinformation campaigns in the context of Canadian elections. This research also examines whether the disinformation discovered during the election falls within criminal foreign interference. Critical discourse analysis is used to qualitatively analyze 26 articles published by a Northeastern U.S. based independent news website within the ten months leading up to the election. This research finds that the use of unnamed sources, hyperbolic statements to misrepresent facts, and strategies to de-legitimize reputable institutions were the most common tools used by the source to engage in a disinformation campaign targeting Canadian democracy. This research reveals evidence that raises questions about the potential involvement of foreign entities in the 2019 Canadian Federal election.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Louden, Rachelle and Frank, Richard (2024) "Information Trolls and Democracy: A Qualitative Examination of Disinformation Campaigns in Canada," Qualitative Criminology (QC): Vol. 13: No. 1, Article 6.
Available at: https://dc.swosu.edu/qc/vol13/iss1/6