**Concerns Grow Over AI's Impact on Journalism and Misinformation** In their 2018 book "Truth Decay," Jennifer Kavanagh and Michael D. Rich from the RAND Corporation discussed the critical role of news publishers and broadcasters in distinguishing fact from fiction. They argued that traditional media outlets are held accountable through the threat of defamation lawsuits and adherence to journalistic standards, unlike Big Tech platforms. Kavanagh and Rich stated, "the filters and algorithms embedded in social media platforms and search engines, such as Google, contribute to Truth Decay — and particularly to increasing disagreement and the blurring of the distinction between opinion and fact — by inserting bias into the types of information a person is likely to encounter or engage with." Since the publication of their book, the emergence of generative artificial intelligence has exacerbated these issues. AI companies are reportedly scraping and summarizing content from published news articles, which some view as a form of theft. This practice harms publishers, as detailed AI overviews often keep readers within the confines of Big Tech platforms, reducing traffic to news websites. Without clicks, publishers struggle to generate revenue needed to support fact-based journalism. Moreover, readers are also affected. AI-generated summaries can be inaccurate, irrelevant, outdated, or even harmful. In an environment where misinformation is rampant, the responsibility falls on users to discern fact from fiction. The need for reliable, fact-checked journalism is more pressing than ever. The report from Canadian Media Means Business highlights that 92 percent of digital advertising revenue is directed to non-Canadian platforms, jeopardizing the sustainability of Canadian media. Advocates suggest that Canadian governments should prioritize spending their advertising budgets on local news outlets rather than foreign tech giants. They propose that at least 25 percent of government advertising budgets be allocated to trusted Canadian news brands, following the example set by the Government of Ontario. This initiative could be a key component of the Government of Canada’s new Buy Canadian Policy, aimed at fostering a resilient and self-reliant economy. A federal advertising set-aside would not only ensure responsible spending but also signal to other government levels and the private sector the importance of protecting Canada’s digital sovereignty and supporting independent journalism. Research indicates that over 85 percent of Canadian adults engage with newspaper content weekly, with two-thirds expressing trust in that content, surpassing trust in television, radio, magazines, social media, and online searches. As National Newspaper Week unfolds, the rise of fake news, fueled by algorithms that prioritize engagement, underscores the collective need to safeguard the truth.