The feds will spend $100,000 of taxpayers’ money to follow live Twitter traffic during the federal leaders’ debate in the looming election, says Blacklock’s Reporter..The Leaders’ Debates Commission will use reactions to the debate exchanges as part of a $99,412 research project to help them understand what voters like and why..“This study will analyze how debates are covered and discussed via social media,” the Commission wrote.“This study shall also provide insights into the specific segments of the debates that were viewed favourably and unfavourably by Canadian Twitter users..“This will further serve the goal of understanding with greater precision what elements of the debates mattered and why.”.The contract was awarded to the University of Toronto’s Canada Election Study in an ongoing research project that has compiled federal campaign survey data since 1997..The Debates Commission is mandated by Parliament to organize two televised leaders’ debates, in English and in French..“The Commission recognizes it must undertake rigorous analysis and collect sufficient evidence to provide Canadians and future policymakers with the information needed to inform future decision making,” wrote staff..“Are leaders’ debates organized by the Commission associated with an increase in information and factual knowledge? Are the debates associated with an increase in positive democratic attitudes such as a belief that democracy is the best system for choosing leaders?”.Research by other federal agencies indicates comparatively few Canadians rely on Twitter as a source of information. The Department of National Defence in a 2019 study found people were more likely to read the ads on transit buses than post tweets..The study mirrored a similar 2015 survey that found Canadians were five times more likely to read a weekly newspaper than use a Twitter account. Asked to name what medium they used at least occasionally, 87% said they watched television, 82% surfed the Internet, 80% listened to radio, 58 % read a weekly paper, 54% visited Facebook, 50% watched YouTube videos and 10 % used Twitter.
