Digital deception now a ‘daily reality’ for nearly half of Canadians, new survey reveals

TORONTO, Oct 26, 2025–A new survey from the Canadian Journalism Foundation (CJF) reveals widespread concern among Canadians, with 88 per cent expressing concern about  AI-generated deception in the news. According to a recent nationwide survey released by the CJF and conducted by The Harris Poll Canada, encounters with misinformation cut across age groups and regions, with nearly half (47 per cent) of Canadians reporting that they encounter misleading or false information daily or several times weekly. Only 7 per cent of Canadians say that they “never” encounter misleading or false information online, while 17 per cent report encountering it daily and 30 per cent report seeing it several times a week.

Nearly nine in ten Canadians (88 per cent) say they are concerned about AI deception in the news, with over half (52 per cent) “very concerned.” This concern spans age groups, but is most pressing among younger Canadians, who report the most frequent exposure to misleading and fabricated content. 

Youth report highest risk

Younger Canadians (ages 18–34) are at the frontline of this digital wave. Nearly 60 per cent of Canadians aged 18–34 encounter deceptive content daily or weekly. Gen Z (57 per cent) reports the highest recognition of “fake news,” with Boomers and older Canadians (39 per cent)  least likely to report encountering misleading content. For a generation shaping Canada’s future, exposure to, and recognition of, misleading news is becoming the norm.

Trust in traditional media remains strong

Canadians continue to trust their established relationships when deciding who to believe. Three-quarters (75 per cent) of respondents stated that they have some trust in news from traditional Canadian news outlets, with 31 per cent expressing complete trust. By contrast, only 27 per cent expressed trust in social media platforms, indicating that Canadians understand the difference between journalism and platforms.

Deception takes varied formats

“Fake news” (56 per cent) and clickbait (51 per cent) top the list of types of digital deception commonly encountered by Canadians, followed by deepfakes/altered images (44 per cent) AI-manipulated content (43 per cent) and political disinformation: 40 per cent.

Quebec takes the lead in reported exposure

Quebecers report the highest levels of exposure to deceptive content, with 54 per cent reporting encounters with deepfakes or altered images – the highest numbers of any region. Contact from fake news organizations or personalities is significantly higher in Quebec (36 per cent). This may reflect heightened sensitivity to digital deception, or more concentrated targeting. 

The public demands a whole ecosystem response

With 88 per cent of respondents concerned about digital deception, and 52 per cent “very concerned,” Canadians are demanding a shared response to this risk, with responsibility shared by the federal government (60 per cent), individual Canadians (55 per cent) and other levels of government, social platforms and Internet providers also playing a role in mitigating harm. 

“Digital deception is no longer an occasional problem – it has become normalized in the daily lives of Canadians, particularly in those of our youngest citizens,” says Natalie Turvey, president and executive director of the Canadian Journalism Foundation. “When digital deception is a routine part of how a generation consumes information, we face a fundamental threat to informed citizenship and democratic discourse. The data reinforce that trust in journalism remains strong, but the public expects a coordinated response to protect our information ecosystem and safeguard our democracy.”

SOURCE Canadian Journalism Foundation

For further information: Natalie Turvey, President and Executive Director, The Canadian Journalism Foundation, E-mail: nturvey@cjf-fjc.ca.