When Surveillance Meets Social Media: A Cautionary Tale for the Military

The Canadian Armed Forces’ (CAF) monitoring of Canadians online during the COVID-19 pandemic raises more questions than answers. The CAF’s actions demonstrate a worrying trend that blurs the lines between intelligence gathering and mass surveillance.

In March 2020, the CAF tasked a team with creating anonymous social media accounts to gather information on Canadians’ views about the pandemic. However, some team members voiced concerns that this activity could break intelligence-gathering rules if conducted on personal computers and networks. Their worries were dismissed by their commanders, who claimed it was not an intelligence operation but rather an effort to keep CAF members and Canadians informed.

Commodore Geneviève Bernatchez, then judge advocate general, pointed out in an internal email that such activities raise “legal risk to the rights of Canadian citizens.” This warning is particularly relevant given the CAF’s history with information operations. In 2020, some senior military leaders saw the pandemic as an opportunity to test new propaganda techniques on Canadians.

The consequences were predictable: public confidence in the Forces eroded, and the campaign was eventually shut down by then-chief of the defence staff Jonathan Vance. The incident highlights the need for greater transparency and accountability within government agencies when it comes to surveillance activities.

An internal review found that team members had indeed violated intelligence-gathering rules by using personal computers and home networks for this purpose. While “administrative action” was taken against them, the nature of this action remains unclear. This lack of transparency is concerning, especially given the CAF’s history with information operations.

The CAF’s actions also raise questions about data sharing and misuse between social media companies and governments. The use of anonymous social media accounts to monitor Canadians online raises red flags about the manipulation of public opinion through these channels.

As technology continues to evolve, it is crucial that agencies like the CAF prioritize transparency and respect for citizens’ rights. This incident serves as a warning sign: when surveillance meets social media, lines can quickly become blurred, and individual freedoms are at risk.

Governments must be cautious in their exploration of information operations in domestic contexts, understanding the implications for digital rights. The CAF’s actions during the pandemic demonstrate that even well-intentioned efforts can have far-reaching consequences. It is time for government agencies to reexamine their approaches to surveillance and ensure that citizens’ rights are not compromised in the name of national security or information gathering.

The Canadian Armed Forces’ blurring of lines between intelligence gathering and mass surveillance should serve as a cautionary tale for governments around the world. As technology continues to evolve, so too must our understanding of its impact on individual freedoms. The CAF’s actions during the pandemic are a stark reminder that even in the name of national security or public information, surveillance can easily cross into the realm of mass monitoring – with devastating consequences for citizens’ rights.