The most powerful propaganda machine in history does not bark orders. It whispers. A teen opens a feed for five minutes, closes it nearly an hour later and thinks she chose each clip. In truth, her choices were engineered. That is soft coercion by design, and it now governs Canadian civic life, outside the bounds of Canadian law.

Recommendation engines are designed to maximize predicted engagement. That objective sounds harmless until one observes what engagement reliably correlates with: novelty, outrage, tribal cues and a steady focus on each user’s digital attention weaknesses. The result is not a healthy public square. It is a personalized funnel that places commercial optimization over civic objectives.

Recommender systems do not merely suggest. They shape. Every pause, swipe and co

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