Dear friends of the Dais,

As our lives become increasingly digital, the risks we face online are evolving faster than our ability to respond. From cyberbullying to the spread of harmful content and AI-generated deepfakes, Canadians—especially children and vulnerable communities—are navigating an online world that is becoming increasingly hostile.

The Dais has been running our nation’s longest annual survey of online harms and behaviours, the Survey of Online Harms in Canada. Angus Lockhart brings the latest in our sixth annual report, which polled Canadians 16 and older. Some of the report’s key findings:

• AI deepfake exposure is rising, with 67 per cent of Canadians reporting seeing it online at least a few times a year—up from 60 per cent of users just last year.

• For younger and racialized Canadian residents, recent immigrants, those living with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQ+ residents, encountering hate speech is anywhere from 50 per cent to 100 per cent more common than those who do not belong in these groups.

• Facebook is the most used social media platform for news – and the least trusted.

• X, OpenAI and TikTok rank among the least trusted corporations.

• Sixty-nine per cent of Canadians believe the government should intervene to require online platforms to act responsibly - and even more support specific requirements like takedowns of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

Yet despite growing public concern, Canada’s online safety agenda stalled with the failure to pass the Online Harms Act earlier this year. Our research consistently shows that Canadians are hungry for the government to take action. A broad and diverse cross-section of Canadian civil society groups are as well. Dialogue must now give way to decisive policy steps.

In this issue, we dive into why Canada must urgently revive its online safety strategy—and what it will take to create safer, more accountable digital spaces for all. Plus:

• Read: about whether labelling AI-generated social media content actually works.

• Explore: potential opportunities for civil society coordination and collective action to advance online safety in Canada.

• Sign: the pledge and join thousands of Canadians demanding tech companies make life online better and safer for our kids 

• Register: for our new professional development Masterclass: Kids, Tech, and the Classroom, which is equipping educators and administrators with the skills and tools to successfully implement school phone restrictions.

Join us as we work to shape a future where technology empowers, rather than erodes, our social fabric and public trust. 

Yours,

André Côté

Interim Executive Director
The Dais at Toronto Metropolitan University

Survey of Online Harms in Canada 2025

BOLD IDEA: Online hate and misinformation are on the rise—while more Canadians support government intervention to mitigate these harms.

Social media connects us like never before, yet trust in these platforms remains low.

Harassment, hate speech, deepfakes, and non-consensual sexual content are on the rise, making the digital public square less safe for Canadians.

Our latest Survey of Online Harms tracks how Canadians use social media, what harms they face, and what kinds of solutions they support. 

We found:

• Facebook is the most used social media platform for news AND the least trusted

• Canadians aged 60 plus are more likely to use traditional media for news, while those under 30 rely most on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok

• Sixty-nine per cent believe the government should intervene to require online platforms to act responsibly