Online controversy over 'Freedom Convoy' causes counter protests to grow

First at Five: Taking It Online Whether it’s support for the so-called Freedom Convoy – or against it, people are voicing their views on social media.

Protesting vaccine mandates and pandemic related restrictions, the so-called 'Freedom Convoy' demonstration in downtown Ottawa stretched into its second week and has extended beyond the country's capital.

New protests have risen, counter-protesters who want to see an end to the occupation creating a back and forth between the groups both in person and online.

"Really, the main goal is just to cause a lot of confusion within these convoys and to add to that noise that perhaps they overwhelm these convoys and that the truckers will go home," says Giles Crouch, a digital anthropologist.

Crouch says convoy truckers are organizing using an app called 'Zello' which he describes as a walkie-talkie for your smartphone.

Anyone who is against the 'Freedom Convoy' is also able to use the program and he says that's exactly what is happening.

"They're singing songs over top of the convoy truckers, sometimes they're raunchy songs. They're trying to interrupt their conversations, and some people are even using tinder as well to try and distract some of the truckers to set up dates that don't actually happen," says Crouch.

David Shipley, cybersecurity expert, says what is seen online is the same kind of rancour, but worse and it's happening across most social media platforms.

He says he encourages others to keep in mind that the algorithms are designed to amplify the most extreme positions.

"Hate, fear and anger. The dark side, the literally dark side of the social media generates the most engagements, keeps eyeballs on screens and helps Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and others sell more advertisements," says Shipley.

Shipley says disengaging from these online platforms is critical, calling them toxic, unhealthy and not reflecting the majority of Canada.

Shipley says, "What we are seeing is people getting their beliefs entrenched, get their feelings hurt, and become extraordinary belligerent and we've got to detoxify our politics or we're heading to a really bad place."