As part of the growing call for stronger voter privacy protections in Canada, we spoke with Erika de Torres, Apathy is Boring's Impact and Development Director, about how these practices affect young people's trust in democracy and democratic participation. Her organization is dedicated to supporting and educating young people to become active and contributing citizens in Canada's democracy, and we wanted to learn more about what motivates them to be part of this campaign:
How does the lack of oversight of political-party data practices affect public trust and youth engagement?
Erika de Torres: The lack of oversight of political-party data practices undermines public trust because federal political parties are allowed to collect, use, and share highly sensitive personal information without being subject to the same independent privacy rules that apply to other major institutions.
"People do not know what is happening with their data."
This project’s polling shows this has real public consequences: parties are described as the least trusted institution tested on handling personal information, trusted by only 33% of Canadians. For youth engagement, this kind of unchecked data use can deepen cynicism and disillusionment with politics. When political actors operate without accountability or transparency, it becomes harder for people, especially younger voters who are still building trust in democratic institutions, to feel confident participating.
How are fake news and deepfakes affecting young people’s trust in political information during elections?
Erika: Among Canadians under the age of 35, social media was the most common source for news or information, at 78% (Stats Can, 2026). As a result, they are the most likely age demographic to see fake news and deepfakes, therefore eroding trust in political information during elections because of the information they are receiving.
In an election context, that raises concerns about manipulation, profiling, and targeted messaging, which can make it harder for young people to know what political information to trust. Fake news and deepfakes likely worsen this environment by increasing confusion and making political communication feel more deceptive, especially for younger voters who are heavily exposed to digital and social-media content.
What changes do you think are needed—by government, platforms, or political parties—to better protect young people from misinformation and manipulation during elections?
Erika: Focusing on the political party data, we believe that the government should follow the recommendations of the recent joint letter that OpenMedia, BC-FIPA and the CCLA helped organize:
- Apply binding privacy law to federal political parties and their agents as called for in House of Commons petition e-7237, ensuring they must abide by widely accepted Canadian privacy principles already followed by businesses and government;
- Guarantee voters meaningful rights of access to their own information held by political parties — including the right to know what parties hold about them, to correct errors, and to ask for it to be deleted;
- Ensure independent oversight of the privacy practices of political parties by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, with the authority to investigate complaints and enforce compliance;
- Repeal and/or reject legislation that purports to address political parties and privacy while falling short of this standard, including Bill C-4 (now law) and Bill C-25.
What rights should Canadians have over personal information held by political parties?
Erika: Canadians should have the right to know what personal information political parties hold about them, the right to access that information, the right to correct errors, and the right to request that their information be deleted. We are aligned with the arguments that OpenMedia and other privacy experts have made for years that there should be meaningful, enforceable rights backed by law rather than left to political parties’ own internal policies.
What motivated Apathy is Boring to support this call for reform?
Erika: This problem was framed as both a privacy and a democratic problem. Apathy is Boring firmly believes that we must uphold and protect our democracy, and unchecked use of personal data threatens public trust and therefore erodes democratic participation. Supporting this aligns with our mission to protect confidence in our elections and making democratic participation feel safer, fairer and more accountable.
Learn more about Apathy is Boring, a Canadian non-profit organization that promotes youth participation in democracy and community life. Its main programs include VOTE, which encourages electoral participation; RISE, which supports youth-led community projects; BUILD, which develops advocacy and leadership skills; Table Topics, which engages youth in deep conversations about democracy and Canada's future (all with free food!); and Youth Friendly, which helps organizations engage young people in decision-making.