AI Suspected of Producing Dozens of Articles Published by Canadian Media

Summary

An investigation by The Globe and Mail and Türkiye Today has raised questions about dozens of articles published in Canadian media under the name Daniel Robson, whose identity could not be verified. The issue surfaced after Ilker Sezer, editor of Türkiye Today in Istanbul, received a purported investigative submission alleging a Canada-linked criminal network with ties to Turkey. Sezer found that the alleged Turkish intermediary was a shopkeeper, received little supporting documentation, and could not arrange a video or phone call with the supposed author. He also identified long, ChatGPT-like phrasing in the submission and in other articles attributed to Robson. The Ottawa Citizen acknowledged that it had published an opinion author who did not appear to be a real person, removed the biography and articles, and began an investigation. The Montreal Gazette, Western Standard, The Hub, Open Canada and Policy Options also published Robson articles; the Globe’s review identified more than two dozen, including roughly 20 in the Western Standard, six in The Hub and three in Open Canada. The outlets have removed the articles or author materials and issued notices or statements about the identity problem. Some editors said they had relied on the author’s publication history and email correspondence, while one Western Standard editor said he had spoken with Robson by phone. Sezer said many submissions appeared to defend Morocco or promote security ties with Canada, and he suspected a coordinated agenda. The Globe linked the email address used by Robson to a Moroccan Microsoft account, but the article does not establish who operated it or whether Moroccan intelligence was involved. Robson could not be reached, and several publications are reviewing how their verification processes failed.