Buy Canada has come for scrolling and posting.
Driving the news: Gander, a new social media app touted as a platform by Canadians and for Canadians, plans to publicly launch in October. Users will be able to toggle between video and text feeds and switch between an international network and a Canadian-only one.
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This Canadian network will run entirely on servers in Canada to ensure data is stored and processed domestically and to let Gander better enforce its privacy and moderation rules, which are based on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Why it’s happening: The advent of a Canadian X/Instagram dupe clearly stems from the recent spike in patriotic (and anti-American) sentiment, with CEO Ben Waldman positioning Gander as both a place where Canadian creators can stand out and users can escape trolls.
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An app based on a similar premise called Eh! is also in the works, with its Apple App Store page claiming an estimated launch date of December 19, 2025.
Why it matters: The rationale for the app goes beyond Buy Canada fever. There are real concerns that the dominance of U.S. social media platforms in Canada is a threat to national security — from control of news, to the collection of data by tech oligarchs, to rising disinfo.
Yes, but: Even if it can achieve the tall task of getting a critical mass of users, the idea that creating a Canada-first platform, even one with tighter moderation, will somehow eliminate all trolls and disinformation seems like wishful thinking to us.—QH