Algorithmic Politics

About this Event

Algorithmic Politics: Analyzing Strategies of Disruption and Mainstreaming in the Canadian Alt-Right

This panel focuses on the rise of “fringe” internet platforms and actors and their impact on political discourse. Focusing on the 2019 Canadian Federal Election campaign, which is dominated in large part by the rise of far-right anti-immigrant populist discourse and protests online and off, we examine the insinuation of fringe platforms into mainstream political discourse via more established social media platforms and news properties.

Greg Elmer will present on how political memes, language, and shared political objects (videos, photos, images, graphics, posts, etc) originate from fringe platforms such as 4-Chan and circulate to disrupt and shape the political discourse, imaginaries and landscape.

Ganaele Langlois will present on how a new qualitative digital method – the research persona – enables tracking the affective triggers through which one can identify with specific types of misinformation and disinformation objects and end up being profiled and curated as a alt-right member.

This event is free to attend. Please register your interest to sign up.