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Rory White

@rorywh.bsky.social
1.1K followers 623 following 122 posts

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇨🇦 Technology and Democracy Reporter at Canada's National Observer. Creator of Civic Searchlight. Contact: rwhite.12 (Signal)

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Rory White
Luke LeBrun @lukelebrun.ca · 25/09/2026
Although Policy Options published an article from an author with an apparently AI-generated headshot and whose articles sound like they were also generated by AI, I appreciate their transparency here and also sharing additional details about the deceptive behaviour of this "Daniel Robson" character
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KrystynT @krystyntully.com · 29/09/2026
Good grief. This story needs to get out because more people need to know that (a) your friends are giving away your contact info and (b) this is one way that political discourse has been mechanized. Don’t trust social media. (she says, on social media)
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Rory White @rorywh.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
CBC covers the Bradford AI story as 'AI in campaigns: GOOD OR BAD?' “To somehow suggest that using AI in the Toronto municipal campaign is a bad thing, I would suggest is an absolute overreach, and it's also not fair to campaigns that have fewer resources” www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
cbc.ca
ANALYSIS | Authenticity is on the ballot as Toronto's mayoral hopefuls clash over AI use, experts say | CBC News
A Toronto mayoral candidate is defending his campaign’s use of artificial intelligence, but experts in the emerging technology say while it could act as an equalizer for under-resourced teams, it's no...
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Richard Dal Monte @richdalmonte.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
This is one of my favourite journalism things: 1 - story reported 2 - politician boldly claims it's inaccurate 3 - journalism outlet releases the recordings Inject this shit into my veins.
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Luke LeBrun @lukelebrun.ca · 28/09/2026
Brad Bradford disputing @nationalobserver.com’s reporting: “There’s no rewards … there’s nothing” Audio recording from Brad Bradford’s campaign meeting: “There are going to be rewards … it’s a gamification of the system”
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My IRL friends call me Chris @christyceeck.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Read the whole 🧵, with the now unpaywalled stories from @rorywh.bsky.social. The Bradford team has to sort this out -- and fast. With Bradford's shaky denial today, this is now a bigger cleanup-in-aisle-four situation for the campaign. Great investigative work from @nationalobserver.com. #ToPoli
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My IRL friends call me Chris @christyceeck.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
You don't hear responses from politicians like this too often. Caught off guard. It's surprising Bradford was made available w/out key msging about the Victory app. This is what it sounds like when a politician wasn't given a key msg. And given the story implications, he should've been. #ToPoli
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Canada's National Observer @nationalobserver.com · 28/09/2026
Here's the recording of Bradford's remarks, and the recording of the original campaign meeting in which a volunteer with ties to the Victory App itself explained how the rewards would work.
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Canada's National Observer @nationalobserver.com · 28/09/2026
In a news conference today, @thestar.com reporter Mahdis Habibinia asked Bradford about the app and the rewards system. Bradford said our reporting was inaccurate, and "I’m surprised they published it."
Bradford replied that the reporting was false. “There’s no rewards, there’s no facetime, there’s nothing,” he said.

When pressed by Habibinia, he went even further, accusing Canada’s National Observer of publishing falsehoods about the existence of rewards. “They’re inaccurate. It's a mischaracterization. I’m surprised they published it,” he said.
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Rory White @rorywh.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Today Bradford stood up at a press conference and described our reporting as "inaccurate." "I'm surprised they published it," he said. In response, we are sharing our recording of Bradford's Zoom call that corroborates our reporting. www.nationalobserver.com/2026/09/28/i...
nationalobserver.com
Bradford calls CNO reporting of AI app rewards ‘inaccurate.’ Here’s the recording proving our reporting.
Canada’s National Observer has decided to publish the segment of the Zoom call that corroborates its reporting.
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Canada's National Observer @nationalobserver.com · 28/09/2026
This morning — following two investigations into Toronto mayoral candidate Brad Bradford's use of an app that rewards supporters for posting AI-generated comments and sharing contacts — Bradford called our reporting "inaccurate." We're now releasing the recording that proves our reporting.
nationalobserver.com
Bradford calls CNO reporting of AI app rewards ‘inaccurate.’ Here’s the recording proving our reporting.
Canada’s National Observer has decided to publish the segment of the Zoom call that corroborates its reporting.
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Patrick Fessenbecker @pfessenbecker.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Someone needs to do a deep dive on this stuff, man. The Reach app for the US Dem party does the same thing.
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Investigative Journalism Foundation @theijf.org · 28/09/2026
Despite not backing any candidate, this tech CEO-linked policy shop spent far more on Facebook and Instagram ads about Toronto’s municipal elections than every candidate, third-party advertiser and the city itself, combined. zurl.co/69u5R
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Rory White @rorywh.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
“They don't know that they're in the database,” Punia said. “They will not receive anything. They will not know anything.” Part 2 of my investigation into Bradford's Victory App is out. www.nationalobserver.com/2026/09/28/i...
nationalobserver.com
Toronto mayoral candidate Bradford’s campaign appears to have breached its own privacy policy
Its campaign tool, called the Victory App, was the subject of a CNO investigation last week for its use of AI to locate online discussions about Bradford. But another aspect of the app also raises que...
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Luke LeBrun @lukelebrun.ca · 28/09/2026
If I’m reading this correctly, Toronto mayoral candidate Brad Bradford’s campaign is asking volunteers to give them full access to their contact lists on their *personal* cell phones? www.nationalobserver.com/2026/09/28/i...
'You don't need to freak out about this'
Introducing Bradford's supporters to the app on the Zoom call, Punia instructed them to give the app permission to access all of their contacts.

"Do not give it partial contact ability, give it full. And what I want to say to you guys here is, you don't need to freak out about this," said Punia. He reassured them that only contacts they marked as known or potential Bradford supporters would be given to the campaign.

One attendee hesitated as she had over 2,400 contacts on her phone. She was instructed to give the app access to all of them and mark them one by one according to their level of support for Bradford.
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Mia Johnson @journomiajohnz.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
kinzazafar.bsky.social and I will be talking to @rorywh.bsky.social this morning about his latest investigation into the privacy concerns behind Toronto mayoral hopeful Bradford and his campaign’s use of the AI-powered app Victory.
kinzazafar.bsky.social
kinza zafar (@kinzazafar.bsky.social)
freelance writer/photog/producer in tkaronto tmu journ alum www.kinzazafar.com
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Mia Johnson @journomiajohnz.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
More excellent reporting from Canada’s National Observer’s Rory White. @rorywh.bsky.social www.nationalobserver.com/2026/09/28/i... #TOpoli
nationalobserver.com
Toronto mayoral candidate Bradford’s campaign appears to have breached its own privacy policy
Its campaign tool, called the Victory App, was the subject of a CNO investigation last week for its use of AI to locate online discussions about Bradford. But another aspect of the app also raises que...
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Jimmy Thomson @jameswsthomson.com · 25/09/2026
CNO's @rorywh.bsky.social was invited on Metro Morning to talk about his impressive reporting on Brad Bradford's use of an app that rewards supporters for posting AI-generated comments. Check it out!
cbc.ca
Metro Morning with Chris Glover | Live Radio | CBC Listen
Metro Morning is the audio version of Toronto's Yonge Street: a central urban artery that cuts through the heart of the city and beyond; connecting people, neighbourhoods, communities, diverse pockets...
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Ben @bendavidsteel.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
pretty insane that any random person can make a new site using AI in minutes, and have that site be 40% of sources for voter advice on chatgpt in a few weeks
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Ben @bendavidsteel.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
seems bad that 23 out of 24 of these sites are still up, with incorrect election dates, right before the referendum. 11 of them are .ca domains. @cira.ca seems like you should do something about this?
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Quinn MacDonald @quinnmacdonald.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Missed this story earlier this week. Yeesh. 😬 I wonder if we'll see anything like this in our (two) BC election campaign(s).
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Rachel Gilmore @rachelgilmore.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
There’s an Israeli app claiming to turn a politician’s supporters into “digital fighters” by feeding them AI-generated replies for “rewards.” It was just used for the first time in Canadian politics — that we know of. I'm teaming up with @nationalobserver.com to share @rorywh.bsky.social's scoop!!
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Rory White @rorywh.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Bradford's campaign is now distancing itself from AI: "A human member of our campaign team sees, redrafts, edits and approves every single suggested comment before it goes to supporters - who personally decide whether or not to post it on their individual accounts." Meanwhile, they tell supporters
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Rory White @rorywh.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Looking to interview a privacy expert with knowledge of municipal elections in Ontario. Anyone know somebody?
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Canada's National Observer @nationalobserver.com · 22/09/2026
ICYMI: our investigation shows Brad Bradford's mayoral campaign is the first known example in Canada to use the Victory App. The app generates talking points for supporters to use online, then rewards those users for posting them. Experts have begun calling it "cyborg propaganda."
nationalobserver.com
Toronto mayoral candidate Bradford using Israeli app that feeds supporters AI-generated comments
The Victory App, a campaign tool built by the Israeli company LogiVote, prompted users to participate in a mission to post AI-written comments supportive of Toronto mayoral candidate Brad Bradford.
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Ron Deibert @rondeibert.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Yikes! Toronto mayoral candidate Bradford using Israeli app that feeds supporters AI-generated comments www.nationalobserver.com/2026/09/21/i...
nationalobserver.com
Toronto mayoral candidate Bradford using Israeli app that feeds supporters AI-generated comments
The Victory App, a campaign tool built by the Israeli company LogiVote, prompted users to participate in a mission to post AI-written comments supportive of Toronto mayoral candidate Brad Bradford.
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Julia Levin @jflevin.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
📣Big news! The Federal Court ruled in our favour in the climate accountability case 🎉 In June @environmentaldefence.ca teamed up with three youth and @cape-acme.bsky.social to take the federal government to court over their lack of a credible plan to meet the legally binding 2030 climate target 1/
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John Woodside @woodsideful.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Must read story here from @rorywh.bsky.social about the Bradford campaign using an app that uses AI to launder its talking points through real people.
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Jeremy Appel 🍉 @readtheorchard.org · 21/09/2026
Another banger from @rorywh.bsky.social www.nationalobserver.com/2026/09/21/i...
nationalobserver.com
Toronto mayoral candidate Bradford using Israeli app that feeds supporters AI-generated comments
The Victory App, a campaign tool built by the Israeli company LogiVote, prompted users to participate in a mission to post AI-written comments supportive of Toronto mayoral candidate Brad Bradford.
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Rory White @rorywh.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Bradford's team told us that it is "leading the way in bringing innovation to Canadian campaigns." The technology is fully legal, and is being described by a high profile campaign as completely normal. Perhaps this is the future of Canadian local elections? www.nationalobserver.com/2026/09/21/i...
nationalobserver.com
Toronto mayoral candidate Bradford using Israeli app that feeds supporters AI-generated comments
The Victory App, a campaign tool built by the Israeli company LogiVote, prompted users to participate in a mission to post AI-written comments supportive of Toronto mayoral candidate Brad Bradford.
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Cloe Logan @cloelogan.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
An Israeli app that allows political campaigns to feed supporters AI-generated arguments to use on social media has arrived in Canada. Now, @rorywh.bsky.social has revealed it's being used in Brad Bradford's Toronto mayoral election campaign.
nationalobserver.com
Toronto mayoral candidate Bradford using Israeli app that feeds supporters AI-generated comments
The Victory App, a campaign tool built by the Israeli company LogiVote, prompted users to participate in a mission to post AI-written comments supportive of Toronto mayoral candidate Brad Bradford.
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Justin Crann @jcrann.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Political support on social media is becoming even more of a mirage. Absolutely stellar work by @rorywh.bsky.social here, who has been tracking the Victory App for a good while.
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Cloe Logan @cloelogan.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Rory got into the app to see what supporters were actually being asked to do.
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My IRL friends call me Chris @christyceeck.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Really good 🧵 on today's important story. And this quote from Concordia prof Fenwick McKelvey in @rorywh.bsky.social's February story on the app has stuck with me: "You are selling tools under the promise of participating in democracy, undermining the very conditions that enable that democracy."
nationalobserver.com
Politicians are being sold AI-powered 'digital fighters'
A new app gets around bot bans by recruiting real people to post political messages generated by AI.
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Reposted by Rory White
Canada's National Observer @nationalobserver.com · 21/09/2026
New investigation: an Israeli app that allows political campaigns to feed supporters AI-generated arguments to use on social media has arrived in Canada. It's being used in the highest profile mayoral campaign in Canada, @rorywh.bsky.social reveals.
nationalobserver.com
Toronto mayoral candidate Bradford using Israeli app that feeds supporters AI-generated comments
The Victory App, a campaign tool built by the Israeli company LogiVote, prompted users to participate in a mission to post AI-written comments supportive of Toronto mayoral candidate Brad Bradford.
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Rory White @rorywh.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
The first mission offered coins for posting a pro-Bradford comment on Instagram: “It's honestly a relief to hear someone actually say what most of us feel – this city could be so much better. Glad you're not pretending it's all fine like the rest.” www.nationalobserver.com/2026/09/21/i...
nationalobserver.com
Toronto mayoral candidate Bradford using Israeli app that feeds supporters AI-generated comments
The Victory App, a campaign tool built by the Israeli company LogiVote, prompted users to participate in a mission to post AI-written comments supportive of Toronto mayoral candidate Brad Bradford.
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Charles Rusnell @charlesrusnell.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Every time any media outlet interviews Keith Wilson or Tanya Clemens, they must be asked to explain the Let Alberta Decide's link to this campaign. www.nationalobserver.com/2026/09/04/i...
Let Alberta Decide did not respond to our request for comment on whether it had any knowledge of this dashboard or the AI-generated websites, despite acknowledging the request and forwarding it to the campaign’s leaders, Keith Wilson and Tanya Clemens. 

After Canada's National Observer reached out to Let Alberta Decide, the website disappeared.
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Seth Klein @sethdklein.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
A US-linked network of fake websites is promoting Alberta separatism to AI chatbots. Amazing investigative work by @nationalobserver.com's @rorywh.bsky.social. Please read: www.nationalobserver.com/2026/09/04/i...
nationalobserver.com
A US-linked network of fake websites is promoting Alberta separatism to AI chatbots
The websites present crude, AI-generated slop disguised as the voice of real Albertans. But they're made in Florida — and they're not even targeting Albertans directly.
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Rory White @rorywh.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
I spoke to CTV News today about my latest investigation into the fleet of websites trying to influence what AI chatbots tell voters in the upcoming referendum in Alberta. First time on TV so was pretty scary. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fx0p...
youtube.com
Who’s behind fake sites sending Alta. separatism disinformation to AI chatbots? | Deception Decoded
YouTube video by CTV News
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Jimmy Thomson @jameswsthomson.com · 11/09/2026
We're continuing to build this database for journalists, researchers, municipal staff and the curious public. Check it out!
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Natasha Bulowski @natashabulowski.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
I recently started a new job as @cabinradio.ca’s Ottawa correspondent. In short order I flew to Yellowknife, met the team, drove to Wrigley and got a crash course in radio.
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Natasha Bulowski @natashabulowski.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
I had the most incredible five years with @nationalobserver.com. I’ll miss everyone dearly and am SO proud of the journalism we produce and innovations like the Civic Searchlight tool. Now it’s time for me to become a CNO subscriber (and you should, too!)
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Canada's National Observer @nationalobserver.com · 09/09/2026
It's us, we're media report www.nationalobserver.com/2026/09/04/n...
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Rachel Gilmore @rachelgilmore.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
A network of deceptive, AI-generated websites has been promoting Albertan separatism. Their goal? To influence the answers chatbots give out!! @nationalobserver.com's intrepid @rorywh.bsky.social uncovered this huge story. Today, I’m teaming up with these pals to share it:
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Giancarlo Fiorella @giancarlofiorella.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
I'm running a @bellingcat.com workshop here in Toronto November 16-20. We don't do these often, so grab a space now if you can! The workshop covers all of the latest in digital open source investigations, and is very interactive with lots of activities. www.bellingcat.com/workshops/no...
bellingcat.com
November 16-20, 2026: Bellingcat Deep-Dive into Open Source Investigations (Five-Day Workshop). Toronto, Canada - bellingcat
Sign up for a deep-dive into open source investigative techniques presented by Bellingcat researchers in Toronto in November 2026.
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Rory White @rorywh.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
On Friday, after our investigation was published, OpenAI banned the account behind the websites. You can submit any image here to find out if it was made with OpenAI's models: openai.com/research/ver... www.nationalobserver.com/2026/09/04/i...
nationalobserver.com
A US-linked network of fake websites is promoting Alberta separatism to AI chatbots
The websites present crude, AI-generated slop disguised as the voice of real Albertans. But they're made in Florida — and they're not even targeting Albertans directly.
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Canada's National Observer @nationalobserver.com · 04/09/2026
Update: OpenAI says following its own investigation, prompted by this story, it has banned the account of one of the creators of this network of websites.
nationalobserver.com
A US-linked network of fake websites is promoting Alberta separatism to AI chatbots
The websites present crude, AI-generated slop disguised as the voice of real Albertans. But they're made in Florida — and they're not even targeting Albertans directly.
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National Newswatch @nationalnewswatch.com · 04/09/2026
A US-linked network of fake websites is promoting Alberta separatism to AI chatbots, @rorywh.bsky.social reports www.nationalobserver.com/2026/09/04/i... Find out more at nationalnewswatch.com
nationalobserver.com
A US-linked network of fake websites is promoting Alberta separatism to AI chatbots
The websites present crude, AI-generated slop disguised as the voice of real Albertans. But they're made in Florida — and they're not even targeting Albertans directly.
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My IRL friends call me Chris @christyceeck.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Pls support @nationalobserver.com if you can. It's doing really important investigative work. "According to Patrick McCurdy, a researcher at the University of Ottawa, shaping what AI chatbots tell voters is rapidly becoming “the next terrain of influence” in society." #abpoli #ableg #cdnpoli
It remains unclear who is behind the campaign but Canada’s National Observer has uncovered several unexplained connections — including to Let Alberta Decide, the largest third-party advertiser for independence in the referendum, as well as multiple individuals in Florida.

None claimed any knowledge of websites related to the campaign, yet several sites were taken down after contact to those individuals and groups by Canada’s National Observer.
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Rory White @rorywh.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
New investigation from me. The 23 websites are designed to influence the answers that AI chatbots give to voters in Alberta, targeting farmers, young people, veterans, mothers and oil industry workers. www.nationalobserver.com/2026/09/04/i...
nationalobserver.com
A US-linked network of fake websites is promoting Alberta separatism to AI chatbots
The websites present crude, AI-generated slop disguised as the voice of real Albertans. But they're made in Florida — and they're not even targeting Albertans directly.
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