Council to consider third party to review impact of misinformation and disinformation

A motion calls for a review of misinformation and disinformation, as a Calgary councillor wants a closer look at the impact of false information at city hall.

A Calgary councillor wants the city to bring in an independent consultant to review the impact false information has on decision-making at city hall.

Courtney Walcott, the councillor for Ward 8, has put forth a notice of motion to look at the role misinformation and disinformation could have on elected officials by “politically swaying their voting decisions through the amplification of false or exaggerated narratives.”

Council will debate the proposal later this month.

“There’s a gap between what people believe versus what they receive and what they report,” Walcott said Tuesday.

“It is a massive problem that we continue to address, especially as we get more and more polarized.”

It may be leading to the erosion of trust in local government, Walcott added.

In the notice of motion, “misinformation” is defined as false information that is not intended to cause harm; “disinformation” is the deliberate creation and dissemination of false information designed to damage or mislead individuals; and “malinformation” is information that stems from the truth but is exaggerated in order to mislead.

“Public discourse influenced by misinformation, disinformation and malinformation (MDM) can create undue pressure on elected officials, including councillors,” the motion reads.

Not all councillors are on board.

Dan McLean, the councillor for Ward 13, says it could lead the city to step on free speech.

He also believes the cost of a review, which has not yet been established, is unnecessary.

“The city already spends a ton of money on communications. I don’t think we need to spend any more money on it to find out who is the arbiter, who gets to decide what is information or what is disinformation. I don’t agree with it,” he said.

If the motion passes at council, the city would hire a third party to provide a report by mid-2026.