Alberta separatist leader unconcerned about influence of YouTube ‘slopaganda’ videos | CBC News

After a new report put a spotlight on popular YouTube videos with unclear origin promoting Alberta separatism, an independence leader said he’s unconcerned about foreign interference influencing a possible upcoming separation referendum. Mitch Sylvestre, the CEO of the Alberta Prosperity Project, said claims of foreign interference in the Alberta independence debate are “overblown.” He was responding to a new report about a network of inauthentic and coordinated YouTube channels, which the report’s authors argue is exploiting Albertans’ grievances with the federal government to advance the idea of separating from Canada and joining the United States. “This foreign interference thing, as far as I’m concerned, is a fairy tale up to this point,” Sylvestre said. The report, published Tuesday by the Canadian Digital Media Research Network, analyzes channels that post videos with such titles as “Danielle Smith Just ANNOUNCED the Biggest Separation in Canadian History Is About to HAPPEN!” and “Alberta & Saskatchewan Just GOT OFFICIALLY BACKED By The US! 51ST-52ND STATEHOOD INCOMING!” Researchers analyzed 20 YouTube accounts that have totaled nearly 40 million views in the past year. The channels’ videos are designed similarly while drawing from the same subjects and news clips, while including “frequent and obvious lies,” the
Read More