Canada News Wire
TORONTO, March 16, 2022
The Government is launching a specific and targeted call for projects to focus on the fight against disinformation
TORONTO, March 16, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ – As the pandemic continues into its third year and the Russian invasion of Ukraine now threatens democracies around the world, we must do more to counter the growing spread of harmful misinformation and disinformation. Today, the Honorable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage, announced the launch of a special and targeted call for proposals totaling $2.5 million to fund initiatives that help people identify misinformation and misinformation online.
Through the government’s Digital Citizen Initiative (DCI), Canadians can respond and contribute to global efforts to counter misinformation and disinformation. The DCI supports democracy and social cohesion by Canada building citizens’ resilience against misinformation and disinformation, and building partnerships to support a healthy digital information society.
Funded projects will help increase civic literacy, promote critical thinking when it comes to validating sources of information, and build capacity in Canada to fight online misinformation. The department will work closely with several targeted and specialized organizations already working in this area. Stakeholders will be contacted in the following days.
Since January 2020Canadian Heritage’s Digital Citizen Contribution Program provided $8.5 million in financial support for organizations that undertake research or citizen-focused activities, such as public outreach tools and online workshops, to help Canadians become more aware and resilient, and think more critically to the information they see and consume online.
These projects reach Canadians nationally and locally, online and offline, in minority communities, in both official languages and in Indigenous communities. The Digital Citizens’ Initiative is specifically dedicated to countering disinformation, misleading information, and the serious consequences that often follow.
Quote
” It is urgent to take action. As Canadians, we cannot tolerate misinformation and propaganda. Democracy does not happen by chance. We have to fight for it. We can choose to advance a new shared vision of democracy in the digital age. It starts with digital inclusion, where an informed and engaged Canadian public can meaningfully participate in society, online and offline.
—The Honorable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage
“Every day, opinions are manipulated and division instigated by the spread of deliberate misinformation online. Canada takes this very seriously. We know that an engaged and informed public is the best line of defense in our efforts to fight misinformation and protect our democracy.”
—The Honorable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities
Fast facts
When officially launched in 2019, the global Digital Citizen Initiative contributed $7 million to more than 20 projects that have encouraged critical reflection on online disinformation and participation in the democratic process. These projects have reached more than 12 million Canadians.
The Digital Citizens’ Initiative is one of many programs established to build citizen resilience and protect democracy in Canada. The government of Canada tackles online misinformation through additional initiatives such as Call from Parisand developing safeguards such as public protocol in the event of a critical election incident to further defend our democratic institutions.
The Digital Citizen Initiative and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), through the Joint Initiative for Digital Citizen Research, provide financial support through independent SSHRC Connection Grants, grantee supplements SSHRC Insight Grants, SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowships and SSHRC Doctoral Fellowships. Awards.
Through a $2.5 million four-year agreement, the Digital Citizens’ Initiative also supports the Public Policy Forum’s Digital Democracy Project, which brings together academics, civil society and policy professionals to support research and policy development on disinformation and online harm. The Digital Citizen Initiative is also supporting MediaSmarts’ Media Literacy Week with a $225,000 three-year agreement.
Related links
Digital Citizen Contribution Program
SOURCE Canadian Heritage