Social Media Use by Canadian Law Enforcement Agencies

Abstract

This paper examines the presence of Canadian law enforcement agencies on social media, specifically Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube. It presents findings on when these social media accounts were created and how well they are received in terms of followers or subscribers. The paper further explores the roles and responsibilities of the Canadian law enforcement agencies with the most followers on social media at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels, highlighting notable examples of the positive impact these agencies are making by being active on social media. The paper also discusses the evolving role of the Canadian law enforcement agencies in the context of the rapidly changing social media landscape.