Google and Meta AI cite satirical article about Canadian time zones as fact
Big tech companies like Google and Meta are increasingly integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into our day-to-day lives, whether we like it or not. While this may seem convenient, it doesn’t necessarily mean the information you’re receiving is accurate.
One comedian and writer from Halifax shared a prime example of how you can’t always trust Google or Meta AI with your searches.
Janel Comeau was amused to discover that a satirical article she wrote for parody news publication The Beaverton was cited in Google and Meta AI searches.
When searching “does Cape Breton have its own time zone” on both search engines, the AI cites her article from 2024 titled “Cape Breton to create new, more annoying time zone between Atlantic and Newfoundland time.”
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“The new Cape Breton Time Zone will be 12 minutes ahead of mainland Nova Scotia, and 18 minutes behind Newfoundland,” reads Google AI search results, citing Comeau’s The Beaverton piece.
Meta AI says it’s happening because “the residents feel ignored and want to take a unique step to assert their presence,” paraphrasing a “quote” in Comeau’s story from Cape Breton Mayor Amanda McDougall, speaking from the Greco Pizza on Kings Road.
@VeryBadLlama/X
“I am powerless to make the internet better, but I can absolutely make it worse,” joked Comeau in a post shared to X on June 9. “Feast your eyes on this factual information about Canadian time zones.”
@VeryBadLlama/X
Daily Hive attempted the same search on Wednesday, June 11, and the AI result is no longer appearing. Instead, the first result on Google is timeanddate.com, and the second is Comeau’s article.
Either way, it’s a funny example of how AI can be inaccurate.
While AI can help make life more convenient, there are significant environmental implications surrounding the technology. Research is increasingly showing that data centres that house AI servers produce electronic waste and consume large amounts of water, while also increasing C02 emissions.