The SAMbot project
Election periods are often the most intense and polarising moments in political life. Online discourse can quickly become hostile, shaping who feels safe to participate and whose voices are amplified or silenced. By tracking abusive sentiment at scale, SAMbot provides critical insight into the health of Canada’s digital political environment.
Areto was proud to serve as the technology partner for the SAMbot project, supporting vital research into online abuse during Canadian elections.
The Samara Centre for Democracy is a non-partisan charity dedicated to strengthening civic engagement and building a more resilient democracy across Canada. Through rigorous research and public-facing initiatives, Samara works to ensure democratic institutions remain responsive and shaped by an engaged public.
One of those initiatives is SAMbot — a machine learning tool designed to detect and track abusive sentiment in online political conversations. During federal and provincial election campaigns, SAMbot collects and analyses data to generate insights into the abuse directed at candidates and political parties. Reports include:
As the technology partner, Areto supported the infrastructure and analysis capabilities behind this work, helping translate complex online data into meaningful, actionable insights.
