Episode 230: Aengus Bridgman on the 2025 Federal Election, Social Media Platforms, and Misinformation

Episode 230: Aengus Bridgman on the 2025 Federal Election, Social Media Platforms, and Misinformation

Author: Michael Geist March 31, 2025 Duration: 38:30
The 2025 federal election is now in its second week and the battle for attention and ultimately votes is taking place both online and offline. The enormous influence of online sites such as Twitter, Facebook, TikTok and a handful of others raises real issues about how information spreads, its reliability, and risks of misinformation and disinformation. Aengus Bridgman is the Director of the Media Ecosystem Observatory and an Assistant Professor (Research) at the Max Bell School of Public Policy at McGill University. A contributor to studies on information issues in multiple federal and provincial elections, he is one of Canada’s leading experts on misinformation, digital activism, and the politics of digital media. He joins the Law Bytes podcast to talk about the state of the major platforms in Canada in 2025, how our information ecosystem is vulnerable to misinformation, and what we should be doing about it.

Navigating the complex and ever-shifting landscape where technology meets the law requires a guide who understands both the code and the courtroom. Law Bytes, hosted by Michael Geist, offers exactly that. This podcast digs into the real-world implications of digital policy, moving beyond abstract theory to examine how laws and regulations are actively shaping our online lives. Each episode is built around conversations with the people on the front lines: scholars dissecting legal challenges, policymakers drafting the rules, and practitioners facing these issues daily. While the focus is firmly on providing a crucial Canadian perspective, the discussions rightly recognize the borderless nature of the internet, frequently exploring international developments and Canada's place within the global digital ecosystem. You'll hear nuanced analysis on topics like privacy, copyright, platform governance, and telecommunications, all framed within the broader context of societal impact and fundamental rights. The result is a thoughtful and accessible exploration of the forces governing our digital world, making sense of the headlines and anticipating what might come next. For anyone curious about the power structures behind their screens, this podcast serves as an essential and engaging resource.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Law Bytes
Podcast Episodes
Episode 264: Jon Penney on Chilling Effects in the Digital Age [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:53
“Chilling effects” is a term people hear all the time: in court rulings, in debates over content moderation, in dealing with online harms, or in news coverage of surveillance and legal reforms. The focus is typically on…
Episode 262: Zack Shapiro on the Claude AI Native Law Firm [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:57
What are the limits of using AI to help run a legal practice? There is much discussion about what an AI future might look like, but with the rapid development of AI tools, the future may be now. The hot AI service of the…