Gatineau, Québec, September 18, 2025 — Canada’s Competition Bureau has issued a warning that deceptive uses of deepfakes and other AI-generated content could run afoul of the country’s competition and anti-spam laws.
The warning comes as the Canadian Digital Regulators Forum — which brings together the Competition Bureau, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), the Copyright Board of Canada, and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner — capped its second year of collaboration with the release of a major paper on synthetic media.
In the report, titled Synthetic media in the digital landscape, the Bureau highlights how deepfakes used to mislead or manipulate consumers may violate provisions of the Competition Act on deceptive marketing practices, as well as Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation.
Commissioner of Competition Matthew Boswell underscored that consumer trust is at stake. “Consumers’ ability to make well-informed decisions is a vital part of a competitive marketplace—and a key consideration in an age of potentially deceptive synthetic media.”
The Bureau is also exploring labelling strategies as a potential tool to help consumers distinguish between authentic and artificially generated content. The paper outlines three key considerations for developing effective labels.
The Forum, chaired this year by CRTC Chairperson and CEO Vicky Eatrides, plans to deepen collaboration in its third year by hosting a stakeholder workshop and publishing a series of articles on digital market developments.
For the Competition Bureau, the growing prevalence of AI-generated content places greater emphasis on ensuring consumers are not misled. As Boswell noted, “We look forward to continuing to work with our regulatory partners on these emerging issues to position Canada for success in the digital age.”
