Everyone knows the internet is a scary place and some Canadians are bearing the brunt more than others.
In fact, four in ten Canadians are apparently exposed to online hate speech on a monthly or weekly basis, according to a new study conducted by Sam Andrey and Toronto Metropolitan University’s (TMU) Leadership Lab.
The Survey of Online Harms in Canada looked at the many ways Canadians interact with social media and online platforms.
The study says 72 per cent of respondents believe Canadians have been exposed to more harmful content such as hate speech and harassment, over the past few years.
Sixteen per cent of survey respondents reported being exposed to online hate speech on a weekly basis, while 20 per cent were exposed monthly.
Data collected also showed that 10 per cent of Canadians reported being targets of online hate speech. Additionally, eight per cent said they were targets of online harassment that caused them to fear for their safety. Five percent reported daily exposure.
This number is about twice as high among Canadians who are racialized, have a disability or identify as LBGTQ2S+, according to the study.
The harm doesn’t stop there. The World Wide Web is also viewed by some as a cesspool for harmful misinformation. More than half of respondents said they witnessed fake news spreading online on multiple occasions.
In addition, Instagram was the most popular online news source reported by young Canadians.
To take it a step further, data also suggests that TikTok, despite being the fastest growing social media app right now, is the least trusted by Canadians.
Per the study, Canadians are prepared for government intervention to look into the “harmful online activity,”
Eighty per cent of Canadians support requirements for platforms to quickly remove reported illegal content, block automated or bot accounts and label information verified as false.
The research was conducted online in October 2022 and 2,000 people in Canada aged 16 and older were surveyed.
