Conservative supporters more susceptible to Russian false narratives: report

A ample mostly of Canadians person been exposed to Russian mendacious narratives astir nan warfare successful Ukraine — and group who support nan Conservative Party are much susceptible to believing Kremlin disinformation, according to a caller report.

A study from DisinfoWatch, portion of nan MacDonald-Laurier Institute deliberation tank, recovered that 71 per cent of Canadians polled person heard astatine slightest 1 Russian mendacious communicative and that a important information “believe them to beryllium existent aliases are unsure of their falsehood.”

It besides recovered “Conservative supporters, who study nan highest vulnerability levels to Kremlin narratives, are besides much apt to judge successful them compared to their Liberal and NDP counterparts.”

The precocious percent of Canadians being exposed to nan narratives intends “Russian disinformation is, successful fact, reaching into Canadian homes,” DisinfoWatch head and co-author of nan study Marcus Kolga told Global News.

He said nan superior intent “is to erode Canadian support and spot successful nan authorities of Ukraine, to slow down nan assistance we’re sending to Ukraine and to extremity nan proviso of weapons, whether it’s Canada aliases immoderate of our NATO allies.”

CSIS, Canada’s spy agency, warned nan country’s support of Ukraine made it a target for Russian disinformation successful its most caller yearly nationalist report.

The study of 2,127 Canadians shows that 25 per cent of Conservative supporters judge Russia is astatine warfare because it is trying to take sides itself from Ukrainian Nazis. Twenty per cent of Conservative supporters aren’t judge if that’s true, according to nan report.

Those are nan highest percentages respective to governmental parties. Only 18 per cent of Liberal supporters judge it’s existent and 12 per cent aren’t sure. Just 4 per cent of NDP supporters judge Russia is defending itself against Ukrainian Nazis, pinch 9 per cent not being sure.

Ukraine is not tally by Nazis. Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy is Jewish and immoderate members of his family were killed successful nan Holocaust.

The study besides reports that 36 per cent of Conservative supporters judge Ukraine and NATO started nan warfare pinch Russia, compared to 20 per cent of Liberal supporters and 15 per cent of NDP supporters. (The warfare began erstwhile Russia invaded Ukraine connected Feb. 24, 2022. It besides invaded Crimea, portion of Ukraine, successful 2014.)

Among immoderate of nan different findings, DisinfoWatch’s study besides shows 37 per cent of Tory supporters judge Ukraine should springiness up their eastbound territory for group “since nan group surviving location are Russian anyways,” compared to 21 per cent compared to Liberals and 7 per cent for NDP.

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And 49 per cent of Conservative supporters judge “Russia is going to triumph eventually, truthful sending assistance to Ukraine is only delaying nan inevitable.”

Only 29 per cent and 18 per cent of Liberal and NDP supporters judge that, respectively.

“Conservatives support Ukraine and person supported Ukraine since nan beginning,” Conservative overseas affairs professional Michael Chong told Global News successful a statement.

“In opposition, Conservatives proceed to support Ukraine. Conservatives person continuously criticized nan Liberal authorities for failing to uphold our NATO commitments and for failing to transportation capable subject instrumentality to Ukraine,” nan connection besides said.

He besides attacked nan Trudeau authorities for, he alleges, not supporting Ukraine enough.

Sam Andrey, a Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) professor and misinformation interrogator astatine The Dias, a TMU deliberation tank, said nan governmental correct typically has little spot successful nan media than those connected nan centre aliases left, allowing nan mendacious narratives to dispersed unchallenged.

“This conspiratorial disinformation communicative astir Ukraine is overmuch much pronounced connected right-leaning sites and outlets,” he said.

Both Andrey and Kolga said nan narratives, astatine slightest successful part, travel from figures connected nan governmental correct successful nan United States and into Canada.

Andrey told Global News “disinformation successful galore different forms is corrosive to our democracy.”

“It complicates our authorities and, you know, it tin go dangerous. And that’s precisely what Putin wants.”

He and Kolga said group who get their news from YouTube and Facebook/Meta should ever look for confirmation from a reliable news source.