Press

Find commentary and op-ed pieces from the Centre, press coverage, and news releases below.

For media inquiries, please contact Isabelle Corriveau at isabelle.corriveau2@mcgill.ca

Commentary and Opinion Pieces

All Work
A three-step plan for passing the Online Harms Act — before it’s too late
A three-step plan for passing the Online Harms Act — before it’s too late

Emily Laidlaw & Taylor Owen

Canada’s Online Harms Act gets the big things right (Globe and Mail)
Canada’s Online Harms Act gets the big things right (Globe and Mail)

Emily Laidlaw & Taylor Owen

Don’t ban TikTok. Make it safer (Globe and Mail)
Don’t ban TikTok. Make it safer (Globe and Mail)

Frances Haugen & Taylor Owen

Canada can’t be complacent about threats to our democracy (Monitor)
Canada can’t be complacent about threats to our democracy (Monitor)

Supriya Dwivedi & Phaedra de Saint-Rome

Stop prioritizing the profits of Big Tech over the mental and physical health of our kids (Toronto Star)
Stop prioritizing the profits of Big Tech over the mental and physical health of our kids (Toronto Star)

Supriya Dwivedi

How To Fix Canada’s Proposed Artificial Intelligence Act (Tech Policy Press)
How To Fix Canada’s Proposed Artificial Intelligence Act (Tech Policy Press)

Sonja Solomun & Christelle Tessono

“Canada’s democracy is under threat. Journalists must do more to protect it” (TVO)
“Canada’s democracy is under threat. Journalists must do more to protect it” (TVO)

Supriya Dwivedi

The Online News Act keeps journalism alive while it adapts to a new world
The Online News Act keeps journalism alive while it adapts to a new world

Taylor Owen

“Canada’s Online News Act shows how other countries are learning from Australia’s news bill” (Nieman Lab)
“Canada’s Online News Act shows how other countries are learning from Australia’s news bill” (Nieman Lab)

Taylor Owen & Supriya Dwivedi

“The Johnny Depp-Amber Heard trial provides lessons in tackling harmful content on social media” (Toronto Star)
“The Johnny Depp-Amber Heard trial provides lessons in tackling harmful content on social media” (Toronto Star)

Supriya Dwivedi

“Whose speech will Elon Musk’s Twitter be protecting, exactly?” (Globe and Mail)
“Whose speech will Elon Musk’s Twitter be protecting, exactly?” (Globe and Mail)

Taylor Owen & Supriya Dwivedi

“Canada’s Online News Act: Repeating Australia’s mistakes?” (Policy Options)
“Canada’s Online News Act: Repeating Australia’s mistakes?” (Policy Options)

Isabel Macdonald

“How to protect children from Big Tech's harms” (National Post)
“How to protect children from Big Tech's harms” (National Post)

Taylor Owen & Sonja Solomun

“How to Govern the New Digital Domain” (Project Syndicate)
“How to Govern the New Digital Domain” (Project Syndicate)

Oscar Jonsson & Taylor Owen

“Hitting Pause on Facial Recognition Technology” (Globe and Mail)
“Hitting Pause on Facial Recognition Technology” (Globe and Mail)

Taylor Owen & Nasma Ahmed

Media Interviews
The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 218: Emily Laidlaw and Taylor Owen on Saving the Online Harms Act
The Law Bytes Podcast, Episode 218: Emily Laidlaw and Taylor Owen on Saving the Online Harms Act
Mother of Amanda Todd, teen who died after cyber bullying, calls on MPs to unblock online harms bill
Mother of Amanda Todd, teen who died after cyber bullying, calls on MPs to unblock online harms bill
New CBC CEO must address Canadians’ concerns directly to combat Conservatives’ calls for cuts: Bloc MP Champoux
New CBC CEO must address Canadians’ concerns directly to combat Conservatives’ calls for cuts: Bloc MP Champoux
Une majorité de Canadiens veut préserver CBC/Radio-Canada
Une majorité de Canadiens veut préserver CBC/Radio-Canada
Majority of Canadians want to preserve CBC and continue funding it: survey
Majority of Canadians want to preserve CBC and continue funding it: survey
National Survey: How Do Canadians Really Feel About the CBC?
National Survey: How Do Canadians Really Feel About the CBC?
Une conférence à Toronto pour protéger les enfants en ligne
Une conférence à Toronto pour protéger les enfants en ligne
‘This law was created by and for big media:’ Google’s news deal with Canada raises hopes and concerns
‘This law was created by and for big media:’ Google’s news deal with Canada raises hopes and concerns
Detecting Disinformation for Democracy
Detecting Disinformation for Democracy
A Silence Is Shattered, and So Are Many Fans of Alice Munro
A Silence Is Shattered, and So Are Many Fans of Alice Munro
Does the Online Harms Act go too far?
Does the Online Harms Act go too far?
What happened when Meta restricted news in Canada?
What happened when Meta restricted news in Canada?
Youth advocates funded by CIRA Grant poised to influence Online Harms Legislation
Youth advocates funded by CIRA Grant poised to influence Online Harms Legislation
Should Canada Ban TikTok? | The Agenda | Full Episode
Should Canada Ban TikTok? | The Agenda | Full Episode
What the tick tock of online regulation says about our digital discourse
What the tick tock of online regulation says about our digital discourse
Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen says it's time for accountability from tech giants
Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen says it's time for accountability from tech giants
‘She’s coming into a hot seat’: St-Onge takes on Heritage file with neither government nor big tech ‘prepared to stand down or blink’
‘She’s coming into a hot seat’: St-Onge takes on Heritage file with neither government nor big tech ‘prepared to stand down or blink’
Far and Widening: The Rise of Polarization in Canada
Far and Widening: The Rise of Polarization in Canada
Why competition law has failed Canadian media
Why competition law has failed Canadian media
Disentangling the Online News Act
Disentangling the Online News Act
Google and Meta have made 6,773 grants to news publishers: What are they up to?
Google and Meta have made 6,773 grants to news publishers: What are they up to?
Trudeau government halts advertising on Facebook and Instagram in clash over online news law
Trudeau government halts advertising on Facebook and Instagram in clash over online news law
Quebec and Montreal governments suspend ads on Facebook and Instagram
Quebec and Montreal governments suspend ads on Facebook and Instagram
Is pulling ads enough to put pressure on Meta?
Is pulling ads enough to put pressure on Meta?
Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen: “I wouldn’t wish Mark Zuckerberg’s life on anyone”
Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen: “I wouldn’t wish Mark Zuckerberg’s life on anyone”
Former CRTC head proposes compromise between Liberals and Big Tech over news blocking
Former CRTC head proposes compromise between Liberals and Big Tech over news blocking
How will Google and Meta’s pledge to block Canadian news affect you? Here’s what to know
How will Google and Meta’s pledge to block Canadian news affect you? Here’s what to know
Google Plans To Block News Links In Response To Bill C-18
Google Plans To Block News Links In Response To Bill C-18
For better or worse, a new era is about to begin in Canadian journalism. Here’s what readers need to know
For better or worse, a new era is about to begin in Canadian journalism. Here’s what readers need to know
‘It may be necessary to keep the model alive’: Taylor Owen on why imperfect online news legislation is necessary right now
‘It may be necessary to keep the model alive’: Taylor Owen on why imperfect online news legislation is necessary right now

Media Interviews

Press Releases

All Work
National Survey: How Do Canadians Really Feel About the CBC?
National Survey: How Do Canadians Really Feel About the CBC?
Canadian Digital Media Research Network Unveils First Canadian Information Ecosystem Report
Canadian Digital Media Research Network Unveils First Canadian Information Ecosystem Report
The Canadian Digital Media Research Network and the Media Ecosystem Observatory launch new report: “The Canadian Information Ecosystem”
The Canadian Digital Media Research Network and the Media Ecosystem Observatory launch new report: “The Canadian Information Ecosystem”
Healthcare, Civil Society, and Academic Leaders Sign Open Letter Urging Government to Table Online Harms Bill
Healthcare, Civil Society, and Academic Leaders Sign Open Letter Urging Government to Table Online Harms Bill
National Research into Role of Public Media in Canada, Announced by McGill University’s Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy
National Research into Role of Public Media in Canada, Announced by McGill University’s Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy
Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy: Statement in Response to Targeted Harassment of Canadian Journalist
Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy: Statement in Response to Targeted Harassment of Canadian Journalist
Big Tech and News Media: Principles for Fair Compensation
Big Tech and News Media: Principles for Fair Compensation
Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy Comments on Google’s Block on News in Canada
Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy Comments on Google’s Block on News in Canada
Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy Comments on Meta’s Decision to Block News for Some Canadians
Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy Comments on Meta’s Decision to Block News for Some Canadians

Press release

Sonja Solomun Chairs “Green AI” Panel at 73rd ICA Conference
Sonja Solomun Chairs “Green AI” Panel at 73rd ICA Conference
Facebook whistleblower, Frances Haugen, joins McGill’s Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy
Facebook whistleblower, Frances Haugen, joins McGill’s Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy
L'Université McGill publie ses conclusions sur la désinformation lors des dernières élections provinciales au Québec
L'Université McGill publie ses conclusions sur la désinformation lors des dernières élections provinciales au Québec
Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy comments on Google’s decision to block news for some Canadians
Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy comments on Google’s decision to block news for some Canadians

Press release

Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy Comments on Heritage Online Harms Report
Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy Comments on Heritage Online Harms Report

Press release

L’Université McGill lance le Projet sur la désinformation électorale au Québec
L’Université McGill lance le Projet sur la désinformation électorale au Québec

Media Ecosystem Observatory/Observatoire de l’écosystème médiatique

Announcing the Second Year of the Canadian Commission on Democratic Expression
Announcing the Second Year of the Canadian Commission on Democratic Expression