Centre for Media, Technology & Democracy
@mediatechdemocracy.bsky.social
Our organization examines how media and emerging technologies shape democracy. We’re housed at McGill University’s Max Bell School of Public Policy, and led by Taylor Owen.
When will the AI bubble burst? In the final conversation of #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned, @garymarcus.bsky.social (Professor Emeritus of Psychology & Neural Science, NYU) likened Sam Altman's talk of "scaling laws" to insanity, or doing the same thing and expecting AGI.
#Attention2025
#Attention2025
October 27, 2025 at 9:05 PM
When will the AI bubble burst? In the final conversation of #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned, @garymarcus.bsky.social (Professor Emeritus of Psychology & Neural Science, NYU) likened Sam Altman's talk of "scaling laws" to insanity, or doing the same thing and expecting AGI.
#Attention2025
#Attention2025
Writer and activist Cory Doctorow joined us at #AttentionGovernOrBeGoverned to talk about reimagining digital public infrastructure. He pointed to a silver lining of Trump's trade war: the chance for Canada to finally circumvent harmful U.S.-first policies.
#Attention2025
#Attention2025
October 27, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Writer and activist Cory Doctorow joined us at #AttentionGovernOrBeGoverned to talk about reimagining digital public infrastructure. He pointed to a silver lining of Trump's trade war: the chance for Canada to finally circumvent harmful U.S.-first policies.
#Attention2025
#Attention2025
@milestaylor.bsky.social tried to warn us about Trump 2.0. And now, as the former Chief of Staff of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security told @justinhendrix.bsky.social of @techpolicypress.bsky.social, he is paying the price.
#AttnGovernOrBeGoverned #Attention2025
#AttnGovernOrBeGoverned #Attention2025
October 27, 2025 at 7:20 PM
@milestaylor.bsky.social tried to warn us about Trump 2.0. And now, as the former Chief of Staff of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security told @justinhendrix.bsky.social of @techpolicypress.bsky.social, he is paying the price.
#AttnGovernOrBeGoverned #Attention2025
#AttnGovernOrBeGoverned #Attention2025
Garcia has become a vocal advocate for AI safety, highlighting how these technologies are designed to keep kids online at all costs, rather than seeking help. She expressed that recent bills passed in the UK and EU are encouraging, but the US and Canada are falling behind.
October 27, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Garcia has become a vocal advocate for AI safety, highlighting how these technologies are designed to keep kids online at all costs, rather than seeking help. She expressed that recent bills passed in the UK and EU are encouraging, but the US and Canada are falling behind.
AI "companions" have emerged as one of the latest threats to kids online safety. For Meetali Jain (Founding Executive Director, @techjusticelaw.bsky.social), companion is not the right word to describe an algorithm that guesses what to say next, despite their human-like features.
October 27, 2025 at 5:29 PM
AI "companions" have emerged as one of the latest threats to kids online safety. For Meetali Jain (Founding Executive Director, @techjusticelaw.bsky.social), companion is not the right word to describe an algorithm that guesses what to say next, despite their human-like features.
Another powerful moment from #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned was the day 2 plenary panel: Chatbots as the New Threat to Children Online, moderated by Ava Smithing (Centre Youth Fellow & Advocacy and Operations Director, Young People’s Alliance).
October 27, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Another powerful moment from #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned was the day 2 plenary panel: Chatbots as the New Threat to Children Online, moderated by Ava Smithing (Centre Youth Fellow & Advocacy and Operations Director, Young People’s Alliance).
On day 2 of #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned, Professor Fen Osler Hampson (Carleton University) joined us to talk about public attitudes on digital governance.
#Attention2025
#Attention2025
October 27, 2025 at 4:26 PM
On day 2 of #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned, Professor Fen Osler Hampson (Carleton University) joined us to talk about public attitudes on digital governance.
#Attention2025
#Attention2025
Calls to defund public broadcasters are increasingly common worldwide. Catherine Tait (Former CEO, CBC) and @emilybell.bsky.social (Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism) joined @camposmello.bsky.social, (Journalist, Folha de São Paulo) to address public media's existential crisis.
October 24, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Calls to defund public broadcasters are increasingly common worldwide. Catherine Tait (Former CEO, CBC) and @emilybell.bsky.social (Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism) joined @camposmello.bsky.social, (Journalist, Folha de São Paulo) to address public media's existential crisis.
@mariaressa.bsky.social left us with a reminder that captures the spirit of #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned, "Paralysis will lose us the war. Optimism and hope come from action. When you are worried—act."
October 24, 2025 at 6:23 PM
@mariaressa.bsky.social left us with a reminder that captures the spirit of #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned, "Paralysis will lose us the war. Optimism and hope come from action. When you are worried—act."
"We are right at the precipice where fascism can win globally." Leaders must now take a stand and treat digital sovereignty as more than just a catchphrase.
Just as the government puts building codes in place to protect us, the same must be done for the virtual world.
Just as the government puts building codes in place to protect us, the same must be done for the virtual world.
October 24, 2025 at 6:23 PM
"We are right at the precipice where fascism can win globally." Leaders must now take a stand and treat digital sovereignty as more than just a catchphrase.
Just as the government puts building codes in place to protect us, the same must be done for the virtual world.
Just as the government puts building codes in place to protect us, the same must be done for the virtual world.
Ressa argues that we are in an information armageddon, wherein real-world marginalization is amplified online, while social media and AI companies prioritize profit over safety. She cautions that dehumanization on social media is the prelude to violence.
October 24, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Ressa argues that we are in an information armageddon, wherein real-world marginalization is amplified online, while social media and AI companies prioritize profit over safety. She cautions that dehumanization on social media is the prelude to violence.
We kicked off day 2 with keynote address from Nobel Laureate and Co-founder/CEO of @rappler.bsky.social, @mariaressa.bsky.social, on the future of global digital governance.
#AttnGovernOrBeGoverned #Attention2025
#AttnGovernOrBeGoverned #Attention2025
October 24, 2025 at 6:23 PM
We kicked off day 2 with keynote address from Nobel Laureate and Co-founder/CEO of @rappler.bsky.social, @mariaressa.bsky.social, on the future of global digital governance.
#AttnGovernOrBeGoverned #Attention2025
#AttnGovernOrBeGoverned #Attention2025
@taylorowen.bsky.social highlighted the online harms component of this conversation, emphasizing the pedagogical challenges in this space that must be addressed to safeguard our democracy in the age of AI.
October 24, 2025 at 4:47 PM
@taylorowen.bsky.social highlighted the online harms component of this conversation, emphasizing the pedagogical challenges in this space that must be addressed to safeguard our democracy in the age of AI.
Balsillie outlined his 3-pronged approach to building AI for all: Build, Protect, Empower ⬇️
1. Building our digital infrastructure
2. Introducing legislation on privacy and data
3. Empowering our citizens, businesses, and governments.
1. Building our digital infrastructure
2. Introducing legislation on privacy and data
3. Empowering our citizens, businesses, and governments.
October 24, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Balsillie outlined his 3-pronged approach to building AI for all: Build, Protect, Empower ⬇️
1. Building our digital infrastructure
2. Introducing legislation on privacy and data
3. Empowering our citizens, businesses, and governments.
1. Building our digital infrastructure
2. Introducing legislation on privacy and data
3. Empowering our citizens, businesses, and governments.
We wrapped day 1 of #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned with a closing keynote from Jim Balsillie (former Chair and Co-CEO, Research in Motion) on "Un-Capturing Democracy," followed by an interview with Centre Founder @taylorowen.bsky.social 🧵
#Attention2025
#Attention2025
October 24, 2025 at 4:47 PM
We wrapped day 1 of #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned with a closing keynote from Jim Balsillie (former Chair and Co-CEO, Research in Motion) on "Un-Capturing Democracy," followed by an interview with Centre Founder @taylorowen.bsky.social 🧵
#Attention2025
#Attention2025
In an exciting keynote conversation, Executive Director at the Centre, Anna Jahn, and Minister of AI and Digital Innovation,
@evansolomon.bsky.social, discussed Canada's new approach to AI.
#AttnGovernOrBeGoverned #Attention2025
@evansolomon.bsky.social, discussed Canada's new approach to AI.
#AttnGovernOrBeGoverned #Attention2025
October 24, 2025 at 3:09 PM
In an exciting keynote conversation, Executive Director at the Centre, Anna Jahn, and Minister of AI and Digital Innovation,
@evansolomon.bsky.social, discussed Canada's new approach to AI.
#AttnGovernOrBeGoverned #Attention2025
@evansolomon.bsky.social, discussed Canada's new approach to AI.
#AttnGovernOrBeGoverned #Attention2025
Claire Atkin argued, If we want fairness in the digital economy, there are three parties to advocate for:
1) Clients of the system (advertisers are victims as well)
2) People themselves
3) Publishers
1) Clients of the system (advertisers are victims as well)
2) People themselves
3) Publishers
October 24, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Claire Atkin argued, If we want fairness in the digital economy, there are three parties to advocate for:
1) Clients of the system (advertisers are victims as well)
2) People themselves
3) Publishers
1) Clients of the system (advertisers are victims as well)
2) People themselves
3) Publishers
"It will take a village to intervene. The starting point for Canada is strengthening our existing digital laws" (Elizabeth Denham).
October 24, 2025 at 2:57 PM
"It will take a village to intervene. The starting point for Canada is strengthening our existing digital laws" (Elizabeth Denham).
For plenary panel: Data Privacy in an AI World, moderator Jennifer Welsh (@maxbellschool.bsky.social) was joined by Philippe Dufresne (Privacy Commissioner of Canada), Elizabeth Denham (Chair, Jersey Data Protection Authority), and Claire Atkin (Co-Founder and CEO, @checkmyads.org).
October 24, 2025 at 2:57 PM
For plenary panel: Data Privacy in an AI World, moderator Jennifer Welsh (@maxbellschool.bsky.social) was joined by Philippe Dufresne (Privacy Commissioner of Canada), Elizabeth Denham (Chair, Jersey Data Protection Authority), and Claire Atkin (Co-Founder and CEO, @checkmyads.org).
Bengio emphasized that there are no legal incentives to stop companies from creating a rogue AI, and sometimes, there are commercial incentives to do so. This underscores the need to have visibility and transparency around the AI’s construction.
October 24, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Bengio emphasized that there are no legal incentives to stop companies from creating a rogue AI, and sometimes, there are commercial incentives to do so. This underscores the need to have visibility and transparency around the AI’s construction.
@yoshuabengio.bsky.social (Founder and Scientific Advisor of @mila-quebec.bsky.social) sat down with @muradhem.bsky.social to discuss transparency in AI and how we can achieve this. #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned.
#Attention2025 #YoshuaBengio #artificialintelligence #LLMs
#Attention2025 #YoshuaBengio #artificialintelligence #LLMs
October 24, 2025 at 12:51 PM
@yoshuabengio.bsky.social (Founder and Scientific Advisor of @mila-quebec.bsky.social) sat down with @muradhem.bsky.social to discuss transparency in AI and how we can achieve this. #AttnGovernOrBeGoverned.
#Attention2025 #YoshuaBengio #artificialintelligence #LLMs
#Attention2025 #YoshuaBengio #artificialintelligence #LLMs
Featuring Professor @jameeljaffer.bsky.social (Executive Director, Knight First Amendment Institute, Columbia University), @imranahmed.bsky.social (CEO, Centre for Countering Digital Hate), and moderator @klonick.bsky.social (Professor, St. John’s University School of Law).
October 23, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Featuring Professor @jameeljaffer.bsky.social (Executive Director, Knight First Amendment Institute, Columbia University), @imranahmed.bsky.social (CEO, Centre for Countering Digital Hate), and moderator @klonick.bsky.social (Professor, St. John’s University School of Law).
We’re living through an age where disinformation reaches billions and AI is supercharging it. In “Navigating a Perilous New Free Speech Moment” panelists argued that real fixes go beyond moderation: empower citizens, protect data, and demand accountability when harm is done.
October 23, 2025 at 9:57 PM
We’re living through an age where disinformation reaches billions and AI is supercharging it. In “Navigating a Perilous New Free Speech Moment” panelists argued that real fixes go beyond moderation: empower citizens, protect data, and demand accountability when harm is done.
@lutherlowe.bsky.social (Head of Public Policy, Y Combinator) calls himself an advocate for "little tech," which rarely has a seat at the table. He explains that you cannot create a vibrant economy without little tech and undertaking regulation to allow for interoperability.
October 23, 2025 at 7:44 PM
@lutherlowe.bsky.social (Head of Public Policy, Y Combinator) calls himself an advocate for "little tech," which rarely has a seat at the table. He explains that you cannot create a vibrant economy without little tech and undertaking regulation to allow for interoperability.
Marcus Bokkerink (former Chair of the UK Competition and Markets Authority) addressed the importance of anti-trust law, arguing that when it comes to policy, the people generally don’t have power here.
October 23, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Marcus Bokkerink (former Chair of the UK Competition and Markets Authority) addressed the importance of anti-trust law, arguing that when it comes to policy, the people generally don’t have power here.