Prepared for the Communications Security Establishment (CSE)
For more information on this report, please contact Communications Security Establishment at media@cse-cst.gc.ca
This public opinion research report presents the results of focus groups conducted by Ekos Research Associates on behalf of Communications Security Establishment. The research was conducted in October 2023.
Cette publication est aussi disponible en français sous le titre : Évaluation de concepts publicitaires sur la désinformation en ligne 2023-2024.
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Communications Security Establishment
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Related publications (registration number: POR 048-23)
© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2023
Budget 2022 states that "issues ranging from COVID-19 to climate change and increasingly confrontational authoritarian regimes demand the attention of Canada and our allies. The spread of misinformation and disinformation is directly challenging the stability of even the most long-standing democracies. Budget 2022 recognizes those challenges and proposes new action to respond to them…It commits to reinforcing global democracy, to combating illicit financing, and to pushing back against the forces of disinformation and misinformation that threaten public institutions around the world."
While both misinformation and disinformation involve the sharing of false information, disinformation is maliciously and intentionally spread. The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security also recognizes malinformation and defines the terms as follows:[1]
The same publication from the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security also states that: "The effects of misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation (MDM) cost the global economy billions of dollars each year. Often known colloquially as "fake news", MDM are damaging to public trust in institutions and, during elections, may even pose a threat to democracy itself. MDM has become a serious concern for consumers and organizations of all sizes."1
Social media plays a key role in the spread of MDM. Social media algorithms favour engagement (engagement is an action on a social media post such as a like, comment or share). The more engagement a piece of content gets, the more likely it is to be rewarded by the algorithm and shown to more users on the platform, leading to further engagement in a snowball effect.[2]
Misinformation and fake news appear to spread comparatively quickly through social media channels due to the content's novelty and capacity to illicit emotional responses. Once a user's preference for misinformation or fake news is established, algorithms may direct t to similar content and encourage them to travel down a 'rabbit hole' of misinformation and fake news.[3]
The spread of disinformation, specifically, reduces the government's effectiveness in providing Canadians with programs and services. When disinformation centres around vaccine safety, the COVID-19 pandemic, the Canadian democratic process or climate change, it undermines government efforts to protect its citizens with respect to those issues.
The Communications Security Establishment (CSE) will continue its advertising campaign to educate Canadians on what disinformation is, while also increasing awareness of who creates it and why they do it. The ads will feature a strong call to action that directs individuals to the campaign landing page where they can learn more about disinformation.
This series of focus groups were conducted to test reactions to three different proposed concepts for intended use in the campaign and to assess which concepts and approaches are most appropriate for the target audiences. The information gained through this public opinion research will be shared throughout the CSE to assist it when developing communications products and strategies. Specifically, the research was used to evaluate how the target audience responds to creative concepts for the Online Disinformation advertising campaign, including:
Three concepts were tested in eight online focus groups, which included participants from five different regions across the country. Participants logged onto a Zoom video meeting to generally discuss disinformation, what it means and who is creating it, along with motivations for doing so. Participants subsequently viewed a video of a storyboard with voice over proposed to create a 15-second video as well as associated website and social media static ads, for three separate proposed concepts. They were asked to react to each concept in terms of overall impressions, clarity of message and appropriateness of the approach in encouraging Canadians to visit the CSE's Disinformation online resource. They were also asked to provide a series of ratings for each concept along similar dimensions.
Participants were recruited to represent a region, rather than one specific city, which was a cost-effective means of obtaining feedback. Eight participants were recruited to attend each discussion, using the Probit online panel, targeting Canadians 18 or older, keeping in mind a mix of participants in terms of gender, age, socioeconomic status (recruitment screener is provided in Appendix A). Probit panel members were selected from those who registered their interest in participating, based on their age (under 45 or 45 or older, region they live in, gender, whether or not they considered themselves to be a visible minority, and the extent of their participation in and reliance on social media for information). Groups were segmented based on language, and region of the country, as well as based on inclusion in one or more of three target groups for the campaign: women, visible minorities and heavy users of social media. In total, 44 individuals participated in the concept testing discussions, of the 62 recruited (see details in following table). Discussions occurred on October 17th, 18th, 19th, 24th and 25th, 2023.
| Region | # of Groups | Total # of Recruits | Total # of Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Ontario, Anglophones in Quebec | 3 | 24 | 17 |
| Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia | 3 | 24 | 17 |
| Francophones in Quebec and New Brunswick | 2 | 16 | 10 |
Focus group guides (provided in Appendix B) were developed by Ekos in consultation with CSE, along with a rating sheet used to rate each concept to quantify the results and obtain an initial reaction from each participant prior to discussion. Six of the eight groups were conducted in English, while two groups were conducted in French. Each focus group took roughly 90 minutes to conduct. Participants received an incentive of $120 for their participation. Video recordings, researchers' notes and observations from the focus groups formed the basis for analysis and reporting of results.
A few highlights about views on disinformation and the campaign include:
The three concepts are described in the Detailed Findings section. Below are a brief summaries of participant reactions to the concepts.
Before You Share: Be Aware and Compare
This was not generally the preferred concept. For many it was described as bland and similar to other ads making it unremarkable. Some also found the bright colours and moving images to be over the top, or juvenile for the topic. Among those who liked the ad, they described the caption and message as clear and easy to remember. The static ads to be used for social media and websites were generally preferred over the approach to the video.
While this concept was well liked by some participants, others did not like it, making opinion about this concept the most divided of the three approaches. Those who liked it saw it as very humorous, and therefore memorable and likable. Some of these participants said this helped to create a clear story. Participants who did not like the ad felt it was difficult to link to disinformation and that the message did not go far enough in conveying the need to question and verify. For those who liked the quirky humour used in the video, the static ads were not viewed as positively. While some liked the idea of a check mark featured prominently in the static ads, many did not like the colouring or meaning of the check mark. Some also felt that the video and concept of the check mark oversimplified a complex issue.
Of the three concepts, this one garnered more support. It was seen as relatable because of the use of a commonly understood facial expression. As a result, it was seen as memorable and intriguing, but also conveying a complete message in a clear and concise way. While the static ads were not met with the same level of enthusiasm, most focused on the images used as the element that they did not like and provided suggestions for more appropriate images.
It should be kept in mind when reading this report that findings from the focus groups are qualitative in nature, designed to provide a richer context rather than to measure percentages of the target population. These results are not intended to be used to estimate the numeric proportion or number of individuals in the population who hold a particular opinion as they are not statistically projectable.
The contract value for the POR project is $45,192.09 (including HST).
To obtain more information on this study, please e-mail CSE at: media@cse-cst.gc.ca
I hereby certify as Senior Officer of Ekos Research Associates Inc. that the deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada political neutrality requirements outlined in the on Communications and Federal Identity and the Directive on the Management of Communications. Specifically, the deliverables do not include information on electoral voting intentions, political party preferences, standings with the electorate, or ratings of the performance of a political party or its leaders.
Signed by Susan Galley (Vice President)
Everyone said they regularly see examples of disinformation online and felt it has escalated considerably in the last few years. Some spoke of social media as a place where they most often find disinformation. Participants asserted that disinformation will "pop up on your phone", and generally appear even if one is not looking for it. Most participants said that they must be vigilant when scrolling through social media and that if you do not know the source, and something seems suspicious or outlandish, you should question it. Some participants felt that everyone has a "personal responsibility" to not spread disinformation.
Most participants said they feel confident they can tell the difference between real and false information that you see on the Internet, at least most of the time. Some said it is difficult to tell the difference because some information seems very real, and there is so much information available online. Some said they try to stay alert to any clues they believe might indicate the information is misinformation.
The perceived motivation for creating disinformation is varied, according to most participants. Some pointed to foreign states (Russia in particular) as a source for disinformation to disrupt democracy or create political discord. Examples of conflicting and unreliable information regarding the current conflict between Israel and Hamas were also noted by some. A few pointed to individuals selling a product and stating claims that are unproven. Some participants said that some types of disinformation are created by media groups looking to inflate metrics on views or to serve as "click bait". Other mentions of sources of disinformation related to disparate groups looking to sway or confuse opinions to further an agenda.
A few were concerned that artificial intelligence has and will further contribute to the creation and spread of disinformation. Social media algorithms were also noted as contributing to the spread of disinformation as the “echo chambers” create an environment where it seems as if the information is true and supported by other sources. As a few participants noted, anyone can post anything with very little oversight, including by “cherry picking” facts and/or doing so with an abundance of confidence, leading people to find them credible.
Most participants believe that recognizing and not spreading disinformation is an important topic. Many participants felt that disinformation has "real-world consequences" that can influence elections or impact the health and safety of Canadians. Many said that it would be helpful for the Government of Canada to provide tools for Canadians to identify disinformation. This includes a reminder that disinformation exists, that it is important to question sources and motives, and to cross-reference the information with other known and trusted sources. A few articulated that the tools could help heighten everyone's "critical eye" and to fact check the information they see and share. Some participants also felt that stimulating critical thinking skills to try to identify who is putting out the information and the author's motivation would help to reduce the spread of disinformation.
Each of the concepts included a mock-up of what would be a 15-second advertisement, presented in a series of still images with a voice over describing the images or narrating the ad. Two static images were subsequently presented, one that served as an example of the advertisement as it would be posted on the platform X. The second was an example of a website advertisement.
The Before you Share concept opened with a stylized outline of a cellphone, surrounded by vibrant lime green colouring. The words "Before you share" were on the screen. The announcer says, "before you share something you see on the internet, be aware. Criminals, Hackers, even foreign nations are using disinformation". Enlarged animated eyes appeared on the screen. Then more words appeared, and the announcer said, "so compare facts with other reputable sources". The ending presented on screen was "Before you share, be aware & compare" and visit Canada.ca/disinformation.
The static images maintained the same colouring, image styling, and fonts. The X ad included the text, "Online disinformation spreads quickly and it can be created by anyone. So, before you share that article or post, make sure to check the facts and compare against other sources." The website ad presented a variation of the same message: "Disinformation can be created by anyone and spread quickly online. Make sure to compare news against other reliable sources before you hit 'Share'".
Across the different discussions, this concept was preferred the least, although receptivity to the static ads was more positive than reaction to the video, considered by some to be too bland and generic. Although some described both the video and static ads as "not very memorable" and not likely to garner attention, this was more often noted in connection with the video. A few said that although the message was clear, it would be lost because the video was "forgettable". A few said that the colours were too bright and may be more appropriate for a young audience. While some found the message clear, a few said it was confusing and the information was sufficiently detailed.
The element of this concept that many participants appreciated was the clarity and simplicity of the caption, which many said would "stick with you" and be remembered. A few commented that this contained a clear call to action, which was relevant and concise; described by some as "short and catchy", or "cute". A few said that the image of a phone makes the message clear and relevant.
A number of participants who did not like the video very much said that the information contained in the static ads was clearer and more useful in conveying the message. One or two participants said that they did not like reference to "foreign states" since this confined the messaging, making it less relevant to some. Although some said the ads would compel them to click on a link, many said it would not.
Among the few participants who indicated that this one would be most likely to spark interest in learning more about disinformation, they noted the catchy and compelling caption, with one noting the serious nature of this concept compared with the other two, believing it to be more appropriate for a Government of Canada ad.
The Reality Check concept video begins with a sketch of a man walking through a park, looking at his phone. We hear a voice off screen speak to him, "psst, that news headline isn't real". He is shocked by the voice and sits down on bench, falling through it. "Neither is that bench!", says the voice. Visibly upset, he throws his phone into a nearby bush. The bush jumps up and is actually a person in a camouflage suit. The man and the bush run in opposite directions. We hear a voice say, "wait, that's not…". The man slams to a walkway arch, which is actually a painted wall. The announcer says, "Things aren't always what they seem, especially online. Learn more at Canada.ca/disinformation".
The static ads include a post for the platform X which displays a photo of a man looking at his phone, and the words, "Things aren't always what they seem online". The paragraph text reads, "Disinformation can come from anywhere. Hackers trying to spread malware. Foreign states trying to influence public policy. So before you share, do a reality check to make sure the facts are true", and "Not all news is real news". The website ad displays a large check mark on a purple button and pink background. The ad includes the headline, "The spread of disinformation is very real", and the text "Disinformation can be created by anyone, including criminals, hackers, and even foreign nations. Make sure to check the facts before you share."
While this concept had wider appeal than Before you Share, it was also the most controversial concept. As many people disliked it as the number of participants who liked it. Among those who were positive, it was the humour and ability of the concept to grab attention they most focused on. Among those who disliked it, they found the message either unclear or too weak to deliver a complete story. The video generally garnered more positive reactions than the static ads.
The most pronounced reaction was that the video is funny and therefore memorable, and likely to grab attention. A number of people also said that they found the message clear and easy to grasp. A few felt that the video concept is relevant today, effectively capturing the frustration felt when encountering disinformation.
More negative reactions to the concept focused on the lack of clarity of the messaging, or that the messaging did not go far enough (i.e., did not "tell you what to do"), and would therefore not drive people to learn more about disinformation. Some said that it was too light-hearted for the seriousness of the topic, or that it "took it too far" or was "over the top". A few participants in one discussion focused on the phrase "hackers spreading malware" and thought that was more of a cyber security aspect, distracting from the disinformation focus. A few also said that it could be interpreted as having a derogatory tone, leaving the impression that the sponsor believes people are unintelligent or that it should be easy to spot disinformation.
Among the positive comments about the static ads, a few preferred these to the video because of the more serious tone they took. A few said they found the information and message easier to follow. A few also commented positively on the image of the person looking at their phone, considered to be relevant. Negative reactions to the static ads centred on the check mark as bland, they did not like the colours of the check mark, or the check mark was easy to miss (in the case of the social media ad). Some said that the ads generally did not command attention.
Among those who found this concept to be the most effective overall at sparking interest to learn more about disinformation, it was typically the humorous and memorable approach that sold them on this concept, largely because of the video.
The Raising an Eyebrow concept video opens with a sketch of a man sitting on a bus reading a tablet. As he's reading, he raises an eyebrow, looking skeptical. The man gets off the bus and passes a woman who is reading from her phone. Her eyebrow raises too. From there, we see several different people reading from their devices, each raising an eyebrow. The ad ends back on the bus, this time everyone raises an eyebrow, one by one. We hear an announcer's voice say, "If it raises your eyebrow, it should raise questions. Check the facts before you share online. Learn more at Canada.ca/disinformation."
The static ads include a post for the platform X, which presented a large photo of the upper part of a woman's face, with an eyebrow raised. The text reads, "The internet is full of disinformation. From hackers trying to spread malware to foreign states trying to influence public policy. So if you see something questionable online, be sure to check the facts." The lower headline says, "Read something that raises an eyebrow?", and includes the website link. The website ad also has a zoomed in photo of a woman with her eyebrow raised, with the headline, "It is true? Or is it disinformation?". The paragraph text reads, "Disinformation can be created by anyone, including criminals, hackers, and even foreign nations. So if it seems questionable, be sure to check the facts."
Among those who were positive about this concept, the most common reason related to the use of universally understood body language (i.e., a facial expression that everyone makes and recognizes) to convey the message. A number of participants said that this makes the ad more relatable. Some appreciated the light-hearted tone of the ad. Each of these were provided as reasons for the ad to garner attention and be memorable.
A few participants pointed out that showing many people in the ad is an opportunity to portray people of different ages and ethnicities. Several also said they liked the message of the ad because it has a clear call to action: to question, and therefore felt more complete. Some participants said that they liked the ad because it conveys the message in a clear and concise way.
For the most part, reactions to the static ads were more negative than positive. Although some participants said they liked the ads, including the layout, type of information, and images, many participants said they did not like the ads, often describing them as not as memorable as the video. Most of those reacting negatively focused on the images used, saying they were not right for the concept. For some, it was the close-up of the raised eyebrow or the use of a human face, rather than an animated image of a face. For some, it was the fact that the person in the image was looking "directly at you" and not at a phone or tablet, which loses the reference to disinformation coming from the Internet. A number of participants said simply the images suggested the possibility that the ad is selling a product (such as cosmetics) or SPAM.
Apart from the images, a few participants said the use of a raised eyebrow itself was confusing, or that reference to hackers or foreign states made the ads less relatable.
Among those who felt that Raising an Eyebrow is the most effective concept for sparking interest in learning more about disinformation, many said the use of a common expression makes this ad memorable and relatable (i.e., "I make that face all the time"). Some said this concept conveys the need to be alert and question in a more straightforward and concise fashion than the other two concepts. For a few, the message from this concept seemed more complete, with a clear and appropriate call to action to question information before you share it.
The majority of participants found Raising an Eyebrow to have a clear message, felt it grabbed their attention and was relevant. They most often selected this concept as the strongest overall and tended to choose it as their favourite.
Reality Check was also typically viewed as attention grabbing, but opinions were mixed in terms of message clarity, relevance, and overall perceptions. A minority selected this one as their favourite.
Before you Share was considered to have a clear message, though participants leaned towards finding it unappealing, non-relevant and weak overall. Few selected it as their favourite.
Following the discussions about the three concepts, participants were asked to consider the focus or message that would be most likely to spark interest in thinking and learning about how to identify disinformation. Four central messages were introduced to participants:
While most participants indicated one central theme, some said a combination of messages could be considered or described as equally valuable. Overall, fact-checking before you share content was considered to be a compelling theme slightly more often than the harms of disinformation, although these two themes were collectively preferred by most participants. Among the participants who preferred the emphasis on fact-checking, some said this was because it provided a concrete suggestion of an action, since checking is the “end goal”. A few said that it gives you a way to weaken the influence of those creating and spreading disinformation.
The harms of disinformation was considered central to realizing the importance of understanding the impact and risk created by disinformation for those who are not aware of this. It helps underline the importance of paying attention and being on alert. A few said this makes the theme more motivating to learn more about disinformation. One or two participants said that people are already aware of the harms and therefore this type of message is not valuable.
Fewer participants said they believe the central theme should be what disinformation is, who is creating it and why, although some preferred it for those who are not aware of the nature of disinformation and need this type of basic messaging. A few focused on the value of hearing about motivations for creating disinformation.
Only a few preferred the theme of disinformation being cleverly disguised, although those who did said this messaging will tell Canadians to be sceptical about information.
Most participants supported the intended advertising campaign by the Government of Canada to encourage Canadians to be aware of disinformation and direct them to tools and resources to identify disinformation. A number of participants expressed reservations about the Government presenting itself as an "authority" on disinformation. These participants perceived that the Government of Canada would be declaring what is true or not or cautioned that an authoritative tone would reduce the likelihood that some Canadians would go to or use the website to learn more. Many emphasized the need for neutral, non-partisan, presentation of examples of what to look for or how to fact check, being careful not to use this as an opportunity to further an agenda.
A few felt the campaign may not be effective for those are already deep into disinformation and will not heed any messaging put forward by the Government of Canada on this topic. These individuals may only look for information that validates their beliefs. Others felt they are already astute on identifying disinformation and the campaign would not be relevant to them.
Although many identified that the campaign would be applicable to the general population of Canadians, a few believe that key targets for such a campaign should be seniors and children. Specifically, some said critical thinking skills to stop the spread of disinformation should be taught in schools to youth as this lifelong skill would be best learned at this early stage. A few perceive that seniors are most vulnerable to disinformation, and more dedicated campaigns may be needed for this demographic of Canadians.
A key challenge of the campaign, according to some participants will be driving Canadians to the website which many participants said they are not sure they would do. For them, the message that disinformation is created for a variety of reasons and can be well-disguised, is a reminder to be alert and check before you believe it or share. This was seen as the primary call to action, with clicking on the website to learn more serving as almost a secondary objective.
Subject: Government of Canada Online Group Discussions - Ekos | Discussions de groupe en ligne du gouvernement du Canada - Ekos
(La version française du message suit)
Dear [name],
We are holding a series of small, online discussions with Canadians to gather feedback about a proposed approach to an upcoming public awareness campaign. All participants will receive a $120 incentive for their participation in the discussion. If you are interested, please click on the following link to complete a few qualifying questions and to get a few more details:
[Click here]
If the link does not work for you, please copy the following one into your browser:
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We are holding these small, online discussions for the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) to gather feedback about proposed creative approaches to an upcoming awareness campaign on how Canadians get their information. It's important that the CSE is able to get this kind of feedback so that they can design the best possible awareness campaign.
Participation is easy, and of course, voluntary! You will be asked to log into a video conference website, using a password protected link, to discuss and review proposed approaches to the campaign. The discussion will last 90 minutes and will be attended by only 6 participants. The discussion will be led by an experienced moderator and observed by officials responsible for planning the awareness campaign.
This online discussion will take place in a secure and confidential environment. All personal identities will be protected. You will only log in, and be referred to by, your first name. No one else in the discussion will know your identity. Anonymous excerpts or quotes from the discussion may be included in the final aggregate report to illustrate the findings, but they will not be linked to any participant.
Once you register, you will receive a confirmation email right away and, if you are selected to participate, you will receive a short confirmation call within a day or two. We can answer any questions you may have at that time. You will also be sent an email reminder the day before the discussion which will include the video conference link, meeting ID and password to gain access to the discussion.
If you have any questions, contact Ekos Research: 1-800-388-2873 or focusgroups@ekos.com. This research is also registered with the Research Verification Service maintained by the Canadian Research Insights Council and can be verified at https://canadianresearchinsightscouncil.ca/rvs/home/ by entering project code 20231004-EK465.
Thank you in advance for your interest. We hope you are able to join us!
Susan Galley
Project Manager
Ekos Research Associates, Inc.
Thank you for visiting the registration site for the online focus groups with Canadians for the Communications Security Establishment (CSE). As explained in the email invitation, Ekos Research Associates is leading a series of discussions to get feedback on several proposed approaches to an awareness campaign to be launched in 2024.
The 90-minute discussions will take place online between October 16th through 23rd in the evening. In each session, a small group of 6 participants will be asked to provide constructive feedback to help the CSE by reviewing and discussing proposed approaches to the upcoming campaign. The sessions will be observed by representatives responsible for planning the campaign so that they can hear first-hand what Canadians think. Confidentiality and anonymity will be maintained throughout the research process. Participants will receive a $120 incentive for their participation.
Once you have registered, you will receive an email confirmation right away. We will randomly select 6 participants for each session, among those who register. If you are selected, you will receive a telephone confirmation within a few days. You will also receive an email reminder with the link to the secure video conference meeting a day or two before the session.
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If you are selected to participate in one of the discussions, you will be asked to log onto a video conference website and if you use separate audio, also dial into a teleconference number, with a Canadian number provided. You will participate through a general discussion, as well as by viewing some materials shown to you online throughout the discussion. Sessions will be recorded for research purposes only, but confidentiality and anonymity will be maintained.
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QLANG = 1 and QPROV = 5,6,7,8,9,10 and (QGENDR = 2 or CALCVM = 1)
QLANG = 1 and QPROV = 5,6,7,8,9,10 and CALCSOCIAL = 1
QLANG = 2 and (QGENDR = 2 or CALCVM = 1)
QLANG = 1 and QPROV = 1,2,3,4,11,12,13 and (QGENDR = 2 or CALCVM = 1)
QLANG = 2 and CALCSOCIAL = 1
QLANG = 1 and QPROV = 5,6,7,8,9,10 and (QGENDR = 2 or CALCVM = 1)
QLANG = 1 and QPROV = 1,2,3,4,11,12,13 and CALCSOCIAL = 1
QLANG = 1 and QPROV = 1,2,3,4,11,12,13 and (QGENDR = 2 or CALCVM = 1)
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This is to confirm that you are registered to attend an online discussion taking place on [Group date and time]. The discussion will be in [QFOCUS = 1,2,4,6,7,8] English [Else] French.
Thank you for expressing your interest. If you are selected to participate in one of the discussions we will call you to confirm by telephone and provide a few more details about the discussion, as well as answer any questions you may have. We will then send you an email reminder the day before the discussions, including the login instructions as well as the password protected link for the discussion. We MUST first have the confirmation telephone call completed or we will not be able to send you these details for you to participate in the discussion.
If you want to contact us about this group, please call Ekos Research, at 1-800-388-2873 or email focusgroups@ekos.com. You may also verify this research with the Research Verification Service operated by the Canadian Research Insights Council (CRIC) at https://canadianresearchinsightscouncil.ca/rvs/home/ by entering project code 20231004-EK465.
Sessions will be recorded for research purposes only. Ekos Research Associates Inc. is committed to maintaining the security and privacy of the information we collect from the public, and we protect your personal information through appropriate physical, organizational and technological measures. For more information about our privacy practices, please read our Privacy Policy. For questions regarding access to personal information held by Ekos, the accuracy of this personal information, or complaints related to Ekos' privacy practices, please contact our Privacy Officer at pobox@ekos.com.
Thank you for your registration.
Susan Galley
Project Manager
Ekos Research Associates, Inc.
If you have any questions, please let us know by calling us toll-free at 1-800-388-2873 or by sending an e-mail to focusgroups@ekos.com. Thank you for your cooperation and time.
Screened-out
Thank you for your cooperation! Based on the information you have provided, unfortunately you are not eligible to participate in this survey.
Hello, my name is [name of interviewer] from Ekos Research. May I speak with [name of respondent]? I am calling because you are registered to participate in a 90-minute online discussion for the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) to get feedback on proposed approaches to an awareness campaign to be launched in early 2024.
Would you be interested in participating in the discussion on [selected date and time]?
If asked: In each session, a small group of 6 participants will be asked to provide constructive feedback to help the CSE by reviewing and discussing proposed approaches to the upcoming campaign. The sessions will be observed by representatives responsible for planning the campaign so that they can hear first-hand what Canadians think. Confidentiality and anonymity will be maintained throughout the research process. Participants will receive a $120 incentive for their participation.
This call may be recorded for quality control or training purposes.
On the call, you will be given some added details about the purpose and kinds of questions you will be going through. Basically, you will provide your thoughts and reactions to several ideas for ads the Government is considering. This will be done through a guided conversation, section by section, and everyone will be asked to provide some opinions, although no one will be "put on the spot". And, remember, there are no right or wrong answers for this, it's just your opinion. You will not need to have any special knowledge to participate.
Only a first nickname will be used during the call and no one will be identified, in the call, or later in quotes, by a full name. Are you comfortable with all of this?
If you have not used them recently, please check to make sure your audio and recording equipment, such as speakers and webcam, are working well before the day of the discussion group. You will not be able to participate without a working webcam and audio. Also, we are providing a Canadian call-in number for anyone without audio on their computer/tablet, but please be advised that it is not a toll-free number, although it may be in your province or region. This is all of the information and questions I have for you, so now, do you have any questions for me before the group discussion?
(Check to indicate statement read): 1
Remember that the group discussion is taking place on [date and time] and you should already have a confirmation email with this same information. You will get a reminder email the day before the discussion with the date and time again, and a secure Zoom link to the discussion itself. Once you have completed the online question and the discussion, you will receive an email thanking you for your participation.
Now that we have gone through all of the details about what is involved in the group, that sessions will be observed and recorded, and what is being done to protect everyone's privacy and personal information, are you comfortable with participating in the discussion?
Subject: Discussion Group Reminder and Instructions - Ekos Research Associates, Inc.
Hello,
Thank you for agreeing to participate in our discussion. Please log in on [date and time]. If you live in a different time zone, please be sure to dial in at the Eastern Standard Time.
To participate in the discussion group, you will need access to a mobile phone, a computer or tablet connected to the internet and audio capability. Please login 5 minutes before the start of the discussion. Please note there will be no late admissions to the discussion group.
To join the group online:
Please visit the following Zoom Meeting link:
[link]
If using a mobile phone, you will need to download and install the Zoom app if you have not already done so.
If you are not connecting by audio through your computer you will need to dial:
[Dial-in phone number]
and then enter the same Meeting ID & Passcode as above.
Thank you for participating in this group! If you want to contact us about this group, please contact us at 1-800-388-2873 or focusgroups@ekos.com.
If you have any questions or something comes up and you can no longer participate in the discussions, please let us know by calling us toll-free at 1-800-388-2873 or by sending an e-mail to focusgroups@ekos.com. Thank you for your cooperation and time.
Screened out/Refused
I am very sorry, but due to the parameters of the study we will not be able to include you in the focus groups.
Let's start by going around the group. Please introduce yourself and tell us something about yourself (work, children, city you live in, etc).
As described at the start, disinformation is false information that is deliberately intended to manipulate, mislead or cause harm by guiding people in the wrong direction.
As far as you know, are individuals, groups or foreign states creating disinformation? (By foreign states we mean the governments of countries that are not allies with Canada).
Do you think that Canadians would find it useful to have more information about how to identify when and why some are deliberately misleading the public?
We are going to look at three different concepts or approaches that the Government of Canada is considering and get everyone's reaction to them. Your feedback will feed into developing some new communication material to help people become informed about harmful disinformation and why it is important to fact check.
Again, remember that there are no right or wrong answers here. Everybody has an equally valid opinion.
Each of these concepts or approaches is currently at the development stage, so what we will look at is rough mock-up. First, we will look at a rough story line for a video to be used in an 15 second online ad. As you will see, it isn't acted out, but is shown in a few pictures, with a brief description of the audio portion. So, it's not really what the video of the ad would look like, but it's meant to give us an idea of what they are thinking about. We will also go to a ratings page for the set so open your chat now and that is where you will find the links after each concept.
Moderator: Show and go through each concept individually. Rotate order each time.
Moderator: show the sample description of the 15 second ad
Before we start our discussion, take a minute to fill in a few ratings on the sheet and write down a few words on your initial reaction on the comments line on the ratings sheet.
What do you think of it? What is your first impression?
Why wouldn't you go the site?
Moderator: show the social media and web ads one after another and explain where they might be seen
What is your impression of these ads?
After presenting all concepts:
Thinking about these three different approaches, which one do you think is more effective (i.e., would make you think about disinformation)?
Do you think the 2 videos with people in them should be animated or use real people? Would animation reduce the credibility of the ad? Would it have as wide appeal to all demographics? Your own demographic?
Is there anything that would make it better or clearer or more impactful as far as you are concerned?
What kind of message or focus would be more likely to spark your interest to find out more about identifying disinformation?
What do you think generally about this campaign and its objectives?
Is this campaign taking the right approach or on the right track in how it is informing Canadians?
Is there anything that we haven't talked about or that you would like to add before we go?
Thank you