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Rory White

@rorywh.bsky.social
1.1K followers 633 following 129 posts

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

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Rory White
Jimmy Thomson @jameswsthomson.com · 09/10/2026
In what universe is it debatable that the United States engages in information warfare and meddling in other countries' democratic processes?
cbc.ca
Canada yanks sponsorship of disinformation conference discussing U.S. as a threat | CBC News
The federal government has withdrawn sponsorship of a European disinformation conference that includes panels discussing the U.S. government as a foreign interference risk.
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chrispyross.bsky.social @chrispyross.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Pleased to release our new report, “Alberta’s Referendum, Online: Election Fraud Claims Ahead of the October 19 Vote” We looked at the online conversation about Alberta's upcoming referendum and filtered to content specifically about the integrity of the process.
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Rory White @rorywh.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Could be linked to www.taxpayer.com?
taxpayer.com
Canadian Taxpayers Federation
A citizens advocacy group dedicated to lower taxes, less waste and accountable government.
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Rory White @rorywh.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Any guesses who is behind this?
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Rory White @rorywh.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
New anonymous advertiser just launched today: 'Keep More Canada.' It argues that the first 100k of income should be tax exempt, including for millionaires.
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The Rundown @therundowntvo.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
"If campaigns start ubiquitously using AI to develop narratives and counter narratives... humans are reduced to playing the role of a cog in the AI campaign machine, used only to provide human cover for the AI." — @supriya.bsky.social
tvo.org
ANALYSIS: Do we want AI in our election campaigns? | TVO Today
A Toronto mayoral candidate is under fire for the use of a controversial app — but everything it does is perfectly legal.
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Supriya Dwivedi @supriya.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
here's my latest for @tvotoday.bsky.social on the Bradford campaign's use of the Victory app www.tvo.org/article/anal...
screenshot of the linked article
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Emmerson Jull @emmersonj.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Incredible multimedia story by @sonalg.bsky.social!
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Bellingcat @bellingcat.com · 06/10/2026
Latest: Two charities associated with the world’s largest far-right Hindu group have raised more than US$24.4 million over a five-year period through US grants that allow the donor to be anonymous, Bellingcat can reveal: www.bellingcat.com/news/2026/10...
bellingcat.com
US DAFs Donate Millions to Groups Linked to India’s Far-Right
Donor-advised funds allow individuals and foundations to give money to charities while remaining anonymous.
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Luke LeBrun @lukelebrun.ca · 06/10/2026
Re-upping this great story from @sharper.bsky.social from a few years back while Eric Duhaime, Alberta’s favourite member of Québec’s National Assembly, speaks:
pressprogress.ca
This Right-Wing Québec Media Website Has Mysterious Ties With Alberta’s Oil Lobby
What does a right-wing media website have in common with Éric Duhaime’s Conservative Party of Québec and Alberta oil lobby groups?
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Rory White @rorywh.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Israel has a completely different political context with widespread use of these tools in pretty fiercely contested elections. This is the first time used in Canada, never mind municipal elections. Also, its unclear where the voter data is being stored.
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Bellingcat @bellingcat.com · 05/10/2026
We are aware of an individual using a UK number on Telegram and WhatsApp under the name “Antony Kevin” to seek assistance recruiting journalists and analysts working on Syria. They claim to work for Bellingcat, but do not. Please disregard requests from them and contact [contact@bellingcat.com].
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Rory White @rorywh.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
And the Toronto Sun article torontosun.com/news/local-n...
torontosun.com
AI, ethics, Israel: Chow supporters slam Bradford’s app
While the Toronto mayoral candidate’s Victory App has drawn criticism online, his rival has been using a comparable platform since 2014.
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Rory White @rorywh.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Here is our original investigation. 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 · 05/10/2026
Front page of today's Toronto Sun is their response our investigation into Bradford's Victory App. They claim that Olivia Chow, while not using AI, is feeding supporters pre-written messages. An example: "Hey Toronto, I just signed up to volunteer with Team Olivia Chow."
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Shawn Micallef @shawnmicallef.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
In @thestar.com I write about agitslop seeping into Toronto’s election & politics. AstroTurf campaigns to AI-driven apps, we need a Blade Runner to help us understand what’s real & what’s fake, but it may inspire a renaissance of showing up in public space for protest or just conversation.
thestar.com
Shawn Micallef: AI slop is turning Toronto politics into a sci-fi dystopia, but it’s not too late to change course
The line between real and fake is blurring and it should be a cautionary tale for voters and candidates
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Luke LeBrun @lukelebrun.ca · 03/10/2026
The two guys at this secret meeting: Drew Born: Son of an RFK Jr appointed HHS advisor, step son of an old Hoekstra donor Drew Weirda: Introduces himself as the nephew of Blackwater CEO Erik Prince, also related to former Trump education secretary Betsy DeVos pressprogress.ca/alberta-sepa...
Born is also directly connected to Ambassador Hoekstra: Born and Hoekstra are both listed as directors of the Mecosta Environmental and Security Alliance, a group opposing the construction of an EV battery manufacturing plant in west Michigan.
Drew Born C @drewwborn
I think Montana needs to annex Alberta and Saskatchewan @petehoekstra @realDonaldTrump
It is weird to think that half of Canada's population is south of US northern border.
12:44 PM • Oct 9, 2025 • 45 Views
G...
Notably, Born is also the step-son of Michigan businessman JC Huizenga, the owner of a chain of religious charter schools and an influential figure in local GOP politics.
His mother, Tammy Born Huizenga, is a supporter of Trump Health Secretary REK Jr's
"Make America Healthy Again" agenda who was recently appointed as a senior advisor to the US Department of Health and Human Services.10xVotes' Drew Born and Drew Wierda pose with Trump FBI director Kash Patel (Photo: Drew Born, Facebook)
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Luke LeBrun @lukelebrun.ca · 03/10/2026
I’ll be on CBC Radio this morning talking about the fake AI-generated journalist who was published by several Canadian media outlets and somehow even became a recurring columnist for the Western Standard Check out Day 6 on CBC Radio with Brent Bambury at 10 AM (or, 10:30 AM in Newfoundland)
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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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Rory White @rorywh.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Another thing to keep an eye out for is what they tell other media organizations VS what they say in email exchanges with us when presented with direct evidence.
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Rory White @rorywh.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Totally, and this only works as a tactic when you stay extremely high level. As soon as you start describing the actual systems and how they work, you can start to see the nuances.
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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
@shawnjeffords.bsky.social @isaaccallan.bsky.social “There's no rewards, there's no facetime, there's nothing like that,” 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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Rory White @rorywh.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
@shawnjeffords.bsky.social @isaaccallan.bsky.social "Suggested content is created by volunteers on our team, not AI,” campaign spokesperson Laryssa Waler said in a statement.
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Rory White @rorywh.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Full refutation of the reporting by Bradford's campaign included with no mention of our direct evidence
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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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Rory White @rorywh.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
@lukelebrun.ca Things escalated... bsky.app/profile/nati...
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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
And the privacy follow up from today. 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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Rory White @rorywh.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
We've also made our entire investigative series paywall-free. Thanks @jameswsthomson.com 🎉 Starting with our first story. 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 · 28/09/2026
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iL3S...
youtube.com
Brad Bradford campaign on Victory App system
YouTube video by National Observer
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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 were awarded 5 points for every personal phone contact they uploaded into the app. For contacts with addresses, they were shown their neighbours and asked if they were also Bradford supporters.
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Rory White @rorywh.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Users were able to search for anyone in Toronto by name and see their address (and sometimes phone number). Sound familiar?
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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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Rory White @rorywh.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
You could also search for anyone living in Toronto by name and see their address and sometimes phone number...
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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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