Field Guide to Online Political Conversations

Field Guide to Online Political Conversations: How to Spot a Bot

August 12, 2024

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An illustration of a robot trying to scare away blue birds.

An illustration of a robot trying to scare away blue birds.

We examine the rising cyber threat to elections, and share how to watch for fake accounts that spread disinformation.

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Field Guide to Online Political Conversations

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With technology bridging communities across borders, global and local politics are connected more than ever.

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The Samara Centre for Democracy is frequently asked to provide commentary and analysis on a range of topics related to civic engagement and political participation. We regularly appear in print, broadcast and digital news networks across the country.

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In the 2023 Alberta election, we observed a significant amount of what may be inauthentic or fake, artificially generated engagement on Twitter. This included a very small number of users producing a disproportionate amount of abuse and a high number of potential bot accounts.

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Party leaders Rachel Notley and Danielle Smith’s Twitter accounts had the most engagement of all tracked accounts.

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The Samara Centre for Democracy's French-language podcast, Les Personnages de la Chambre, has been nominated for Best Podcast in the Consumer category at the 2024 Canadian Online Publishing Awards (COPA).

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2024 Publications

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CEO Sabreena Delhon receives King Charles III Coronation Medal

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SAMbot tracked online abuse during Toronto's municipal election. Read our report to learn more about our findings.

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SAMbot 2021 Federal Election Report

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