Press release

“We are actively raising awareness of the urgent problem of gendered disinformation and, more importantly, providing actionable solutions,” says Jennifer Flanagan, CEO of Actua. “Through resources developed for educators, youth and families, we are equipping them with the knowledge to identify and counter this harmful content, empowering them to contribute to a safer and more equitable online society for all.”

Gendered disinformation isn’t just misinformation; it’s a deliberate and calculated attack intended to cause harm against women and gender-diverse people. Alarmingly, gender itself is both a target and a tool in these malicious campaigns. For example, this could involve the spread of manipulated images online intended to humiliate a female politician or coordinated online harassment campaigns designed to silence women journalists. Gender is strategically exploited to inflict harm by using manipulated narratives, stereotypes or even AI-generated female personas to spread disinformation and achieve malicious objectives.

“Threats online that target women and gender-diverse people harm our communities and democracy”, says Cal Corley, CEO of CSKA. “This study and its resources for police, human service agencies and others will help us better understand and address this problem – supporting everyone affected.”

“This isn’t a future problem,” says Dr. Janos Botschner, Senior Associate at CSKA and the study’s principal investigator. “Gendered disinformation is actively causing harm now, with its impacts escalating from online harassment and the spread of damaging lies, to the erosion of trust and healthy public discourse. And it goes beyond the individual – some of these tactics also being employed by foreign nations to try to undermine the foundations of our democracy.”

Providing people with the right tools and knowledge is essential in countering gendered disinformation. The resources developed by Actua, CSKA and SLG directly address this need by providing clear explanations of gendered disinformation and its tactics, real-world examples, and practical guidance on how to identify and resist harmful content before it takes hold.

Underpinning these efforts is Actua’s broader commitment to equipping young people with the foundational skills necessary for navigating the digital age, including online safety and AI skill-building. Through its Cyber Smart Education project, Actua empowers youth to explore, create, and connect responsibly online. Its AI Literacy Project provides comprehensive AI skills training and resources to youth, parents and educators.

“Technology offers incredible benefits for youth and our society,” notes Flanagan. “We are empowering young people to use it responsibly and for good. We want to build an AI-ready generation that can shape emerging technologies, navigate and counter online harms like gendered disinformation, and become the leaders Canada needs for its innovation future.”