School zones won't be 24/7, 'disreputable' websites are sharing misinformation: B.C. RCMP

Rules around school zones aren't changing on July 1, contrary to what some "disreputable websites" are claiming, says the B.C. RCMP's Highway Patrol.

The posted speed limit in school zones is 30 km/h and is in effect from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on school days, unless the sign indicates otherwise, according to provincial law.

Cpl. Michael McLaughlin said police have been receiving questions about "persistent rumours" that school zone speed limits across Canada will be in effect 24/7 starting on Canada Day.

"These rumours are false. They are not true, but they are a bit sticky — especially on social media," he said.

McLaughlin noted there are a few clues that indicate the rumours were never legitimate.

One "red flag," he said, is that the rumour said federal laws were changing when traffic laws are mandated primarily by provinces.

"And all of these complicated changes happening at once rather quickly – another red flag."

McLaughlin said some police research showed a website in India appeared to be one of the early sources of the rumour, but it wasn't clear if it was repeating false information that was already online.

He said social media and online artificial intelligence, including those found through search engines, are amplifying the misinformation.

Harder to find facts, says misinformation expert

Heidi Tworek, a professor and director for the Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions at the University of B.C., said it's unfortunate but not surprising that AI could be misleading the public.

As AI becomes increasingly common, it's harder to determine whether information is trustworthy or not, she said.

And it's particularly concerning from a Canadian perspective, as the incident shows certain AI has not been programmed to prioritize more trustworthy sources such as government websites.

"That really opens the door to more misinformation," said Tworek. 

She noted search engines like Google are frequently putting AI-generated answers at the top of search results.

But Tworek added it's easy for bad actors to create a website — or 20 — with low-quality information, which is then harvested by AI.

"If you put garbage in, you will get garbage out," she said.

AI-generated search results summarize what exists online, but don't necessarily prioritize high-quality information, according to Tworek.

She suggested scrolling past them to find direct, primary sources of information.

Tworek also recommended asking a chatbot for its sources, particularly for important information like traffic laws.

McLaughlin agreed.

"Be thoughtful about what you're repeating, and if it doesn't seem like it's real and there are problems with the information, then don't repeat them," he said.

"We all need to be on the same page about what is legal and what isn't legal."