A new poll commissioned by CIRA suggests that generative artificial intelligence (AI) and the spread of misinformation are top-of-mind for many internet users across the country. These results arrive months ahead of a U.S. presidential election and a Canadian election next year—a critical time for people to know what’s true online.
The annual survey found that Canadians’ concerns over AI outweigh their excitement for the tools. Half (51 per cent) say they’re concerned about the technology, while only one-in-five (17 per cent) say they’re excited about the development of AI. Among those concerned, most cite its contribution to the spread of fake images or videos (69 per cent), mis/disinformation (67 per cent) and insufficient regulations/controls on its use (65 per cent).
The spread of fake images and videos is also making an impact on Canadians’ online experiences. Two-in-ten Canadians say they have encountered deepfakes online in the past year and one quarter don’t know whether they have. Only half (51 per cent) of Canadians are confident in their ability to detect fraud and scams online—a drop of 16 per cent from 2023. Half (51 per cent) of Canadians believe that deepfakes are a threat to elections in Canada and other democratic countries.
As Canadians continue to navigate a messy information ecosystem, visiting specific news media sites online remains the top method for accessing news online (35 per cent), followed by Google searches about news events (33 per cent). Notably, since Meta’s decision to remove news content from its Canadian services, only 15 per cent of Canadians report accessing news online via Facebook, a decrease from 34 per cent in 2023.
The findings and more are outlined in CIRA’s 2024 Canada’s Internet Factbook.
Key findings
- About one-in-six Canadians (16 per cent) say they have used a generative AI tool or platform in the past year.
- Most Canadians (76 per cent) believe that posting or sharing deepfakes should not be allowed on social media.
- The top methods for accessing news online are visiting specific news/media sites (35 per cent) and Google searches about news events (33 per cent).
- Only half (51 per cent) of Canadians say they are confident in their ability to detect fraud/scams online, down from 67 per cent in 2023.
- Half (53 per cent) of Canadians believe that having a website makes businesses look more credible.
Canada’s Internet Factbook 2024 was developed by CIRA through an online survey conducted by the Strategic Counsel. A total of two thousand Canadian internet users (18+) were surveyed via an online panel in March 2024. Every year CIRA produces Canada’s Internet Factbook through this research to identify trends in Canadian internet access and use. This year CIRA will post a four-part blog series of the most salient findings from its annual survey. The full research results showcasing the latest Canadian internet trends and online user habits can be found here.
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New poll finds that half of Canadians are concerned about generative artificial intelligence and the spread of misinformation
A new poll commissioned by CIRA suggests that generative artificial intelligence (AI) and the spread of misinformation are top-of-mind for many internet users across the country. These results arrive months ahead of a U.S. presidential election and a Canadian election next year—a critical time for people to know what’s true online.
The annual survey found that Canadians’ concerns over AI outweigh their excitement for the tools. Half (51 per cent) say they’re concerned about the technology, while only one-in-five (17 per cent) say they’re excited about the development of AI. Among those concerned, most cite its contribution to the spread of fake images or videos (69 per cent), mis/disinformation (67 per cent) and insufficient regulations/controls on its use (65 per cent).
The spread of fake images and videos is also making an impact on Canadians’ online experiences. Two-in-ten Canadians say they have encountered deepfakes online in the past year and one quarter don’t know whether they have. Only half (51 per cent) of Canadians are confident in their ability to detect fraud and scams online—a drop of 16 per cent from 2023. Half (51 per cent) of Canadians believe that deepfakes are a threat to elections in Canada and other democratic countries.
As Canadians continue to navigate a messy information ecosystem, visiting specific news media sites online remains the top method for accessing news online (35 per cent), followed by Google searches about news events (33 per cent). Notably, since Meta’s decision to remove news content from its Canadian services, only 15 per cent of Canadians report accessing news online via Facebook, a decrease from 34 per cent in 2023.
The findings and more are outlined in CIRA’s 2024 Canada’s Internet Factbook.
Key findings
Canada’s Internet Factbook 2024 was developed by CIRA through an online survey conducted by the Strategic Counsel. A total of two thousand Canadian internet users (18+) were surveyed via an online panel in March 2024. Every year CIRA produces Canada’s Internet Factbook through this research to identify trends in Canadian internet access and use. This year CIRA will post a four-part blog series of the most salient findings from its annual survey. The full research results showcasing the latest Canadian internet trends and online user habits can be found here.
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This entry was posted on July 10, 2024 at 9:09 am and is filed under Commentary with tags CIRA. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.