The AI Threat to Canadian Democracy: Fighting for Digital Sovereignty
AI-driven interference is outpacing regulation efforts and endangering our democracy.
Alexander Martin
PhD Student | AI & Digital Governance Researcher
Alexander F. Martin is a PhD student in Science & Technology Studies at York University, specializing in emerging technologies and threats. His research, supervised by Dr. Robert W. Gehl, focuses on decentralized social media platforms like Mastodon and Bluesky and their potential for democratic discourse. He is currently examining how Canadians use alternative social media like Mastodon to share news following Meta’s block on Canadian news due to the Online News Act. Previously, Alexander studied digital media and rhetoric at the University of Waterloo, analyzing the role of bots on Twitter (now X) and algorithms in political events such as the 2016 and 2022 US elections. He is an AI Connected Minds scholar, funded by the Canada First Research Excellence Fund, exploring AI and digital governance. In addition to his research, Alexander is a part-time Communication Professor at Conestoga College and a Writing Instructor at York University. He holds multiple fellowships with the Canadian International Council, and the NATO Association of Canada, studying cybersecurity & emerging threats. He has interviewed tech CEOs for Icon Outlook Magazine and is currently a Strategic Communications intern with NATO.
Most Recent Posts
The threat of
US–centric social media
There is little doubt that social media platforms owned by US-based corporations are influencing Canadian public opinion.