Much has been written in recent history about the ramifications of foreign interference on Canadian politics.

The focus has been deservedly placed on the intrigue playing out in Parliament and MPs’ constituency offices, with allegations of foreign agents exerting their influence.

While high-level investigations into those matters carry on, Canadians must not lose sight of a far more insidious form of interference taking place in every home — thanks to every digital device capable of using the internet.

When the World Wide Web arrived at our fingertips some 30 years ago, it was believed giving people access to such a large repository of information and to near-instant electronic communications would usher in a new era of global enlightenment and unity.

In the young, optimistic internet of yesteryear, there were users’ guides that explained the basic concepts of the web, including a handbook for netiquette. (Quaint!)

At school, one of my classes embraced the internet’s potential for global connections. We were signed up for email discussion lists specially created to have conversations with our counterparts around the globe on whatever topic was picked by teachers for us to thoughtfully dissect and debate.

And while healthy discussion is still possible online today, it’s also just as likely to........

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