NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and his party are being targeted by social media misinformation attacks that appear to be coming from outside Canada, the party’s national director told the inquiry into foreign interference Thursday.
Lucy Watson said there has been an spike in recent weeks in the number of online misinformation posts, such as fake news stories purporting to be from the Toronto Star claiming Singh has been held on charges of corruption.
“There are a number of posts along those lines that have been coming across our desks on a fairly regular basis,” Watson told reporters after her testimony.
Watson said the party believes the posts are coming from foreign actors. She would not say which country the party suspects is behind the posts.
“We don’t have any insight, which is one of the challenges,” she said.
Watson said she fears the online attacks could lead to real-life violence.
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