A satirical article said Cape Breton has its own time zone. Google and Meta AI repeated it as fact
Janel Comeau managed to trick Google and Meta with just her words.
The Halifax-based writer had penned a satirical article for The Beaverton, a Canadian parody news site. It said that Cape Breton, the island off the northern coast of Nova Scotia, was adopting its own time zone in a cheeky plea for attention from the rest of the Maritimes.
"We are tired of being ignored. And that is why we will be making the incredibly irritating step of moving the entire island to the new Cape Breton Time Zone, where we will be 12 minutes ahead of mainland Nova Scotia, and 18 minutes behind Newfoundland," Comeau wrote.
But what came next was no joke.
While reviewing her past work, Comeau noticed something odd on Facebook: Meta's AI-generated prompts were appearing under her article — as if it were real news.
"It was like, 'Find out more information about when this time zone change will take effect,' [or] 'How will this affect businesses?'" she told As It Happens host Nil Köksal.
"I realized very quickly: Oh, it's treating this as a real article."
Curious, Comeau asked Meta AI directly, and searched on Google with the question of whether Cape Breton would indeed be getting its own time zone. Both said that yes, it would.
"[I felt] in-between, this is very funny and oh no, what have I done?" she said.
Unpacking search engines and AI
Jian-Yun Nie, a professor in the department of computer science at the University of Montreal, says this incident reflects how artificial intelligence and search engines process content, without necessarily evaluating its truthfulness.
And in Google's case, says Nie, search rankings are driven by a mix of factors: the use of keywords that match a query, how often an article is linked to other content, and its overall popularity — like user clicks.
" So if you ask what is the time zone of Cape Breton and whether there is a new time zone, [Comeau's] article may appear at some top position," said Nie.
Nie says AI systems typically scan multiple related articles to synthesize an answer, but that only works well if the sources are correct, and if the system can distinguish between reliable and unreliable information.
Without understanding context — or satire — they can mistake humour for fact.
According to Nie, AI systems primarily assess reliability based on the source of the information — favouring trusted outlets like reputable newspapers over less credible ones.
However, he says there's no universal standard for determining what's reliable and what isn't.
"How do you trust one person and not another [person]?" Nie said as a comparison.
"It is quite difficult to make an algorithm to mimic exactly the same behaviour of human beings, but the algorithms are trying to do the same thing at this stage."
How do we avoid being misled?
Since the incident, both Google and Meta have corrected their systems.
At the time of writing, Meta AI now responds: "No, Cape Breton Island does not have its own time zone. It follows Atlantic Standard Time and Atlantic Daylight Time, the same as the rest of Nova Scotia."
According to Osmar Zaiane, a University of Alberta professor specializing in AI and data mining, that kind of swift correction is standard procedure, and part of the growing pains of emerging technologies.
"Each time they find a hole like this, they try to fix it," said Zaiane. "You can't think of all possibilities; there's always something that some people discover."
CBC reached out to Google and Meta for comment, but have not yet received a response. Both companies have language in their terms and services disclaiming responsibility for the accuracy of their search or query results.
To avoid being misled, both Zaiane and Nie urge people to cross-check AI-generated answers with multiple sources.
"We should use our own judgment to see whether it can be plausible," said Nie. "In this case, if Google tells you there is a new time zone in Cape Breton, you [should] check other articles."
Fortunately, Comeau's fictional time zone seems to have caused no real confusion or chaos — or at least, none that she has heard of.
"I've not heard of from any tourists who've missed their ferries as a result of this, but maybe they're out there," she said.
"Knowing that somebody may have not gotten to Greco Pizza before it closes — I don't know, it's a heavy cross to bear."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
37 minutes ago
- CTV News
Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival returns
Ottawa's annual Dragon Boat Festival is taking place at Mooney's Bay this weekend. CTV's Camille Wilson caught up with some of the attendees.
CTV News
37 minutes ago
- CTV News
Vancouver artist behind Google Doodle for National Indigenous Peoples Day
The Google Doodle for June 21 commemorating National Indigenous Peoples Day was created by Vancouver-based Tahltan artist Alano Edzerza. If you open Google on Saturday, art by a Vancouverite will show up on the homepage. The Google Doodle for June 21 commemorating National Indigenous Peoples Day was created by Vancouver-based Tahltan artist Alano Edzerza. Titled 'Celebrating Totem Poles,' the graphic depicts wooden animals shaped like the letters in Google—a frog, wolf, raven, eagle, bear, whale and thunderbird. Edzerza's art has been displayed in galleries around the world, and he even designed gear for Dutch athletes during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Now, his work will be seen by anyone in Canada who makes a Google search. 'More than artwork, totem poles are deeply symbolic narratives carved into wood. They tell stories, commemorate events, or represent a family's lineage and crests. Many of these crests feature animals that represent kinship, identity and family history,' reads the webpage about the doodle. 'Colonization threatened totem poles with bans on various cultural practices, like the Potlatch, a ceremony where poles are raised. Today, beautiful totem poles are symbols of survival and resistance to cultural encroachment.' Doodles are special Google logos that mark holidays or commemorate important people. Famous British Columbians who have been featured in Google Doodles include Terry Fox and Harry Jerome.
Globe and Mail
an hour ago
- Globe and Mail
This Global REIT Is Riding Asia's AI Wave Straight to the Bank
Equinix (NASDAQ: EQIX) is a powerhouse in digital infrastructure and part of a new class of innovative real estate investment trusts (REITs) laying the groundwork to become the future of real estate investing. It has a strong history of capitalizing on international technology trends that traditional REITs can't match. With a strategic expansion in Indonesia, Equinix is positioning itself for explosive growth, and Wall Street is beginning to take notice. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Learn More » Why this digital land grab is a big deal Asia is becoming the global epicenter of digital demand, and Indonesia is leading the charge. It's attracting major investments in cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), and fintech. By entering the market early and scaling aggressively, Equinix is developing a strategic advantage that will be tough for competitors to match. Indonesia's data center market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8% to $3.79 billion through 2030. Cloud giants like Amazon Web Services and Alphabet 's Google Cloud have already announced major investments, but their platforms need physical infrastructure to function. That's what makes Equinix's expansion into Jakarta so strategic. Its newly opened data center is no ordinary server farm. Built to support intensive computing tasks like training and running AI systems, Equinix is creating the critical backbone necessary for digital business growth in Indonesia. This could make Equinix one of tech's most valuable players. The average analyst price target sees Equinix at $1,009, 10% percent higher than it currently sits, a nod to its forward-looking strategy and savvy market expansion. What gives Equinix the edge In addition to its Indonesian assets, Equinix operates 270 data centers across five continents and 35 countries. It has a great track record with its customers, retaining 98% of them. As of Q1 2025, Equinix reported over $2.1 billion in annual adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA). This strong combination of global scale, customer loyalty, and reliable earnings is exactly what sets the stage for Equinix's move into Jakarta to be a success. While it's not the highest-dividend REIT, Equinix pays investors 2% annually. But considering its growth trajectory looks more like a tech company than a traditional REIT, that's not too bad. The risks to watch Equinix does face potential pressures though. Their total capital expenditures for 2025 are projected between $3.4 billion and $3.7 billion, with non-recurring expenditures accounting for around 95% of that. This significant investment is partly due to the need to modernize legacy data centers to meet new levels of demand. While these upgrades are essential, they represent a substantial financial commitment that could impact short-term profitability. That said, Equinix ended Q1 2025 with roughly $2.95 billion in cash and cash equivalents and an ample $7.6 billion in total available liquidity. The balance sheet looks sturdy enough to fund expansion without putting shareholders at undue risk. Geopolitical tensions are also on the periphery of investor concerns. As Equinix operates globally, it must navigate regulatory, monetary, and political risks in emerging markets. But these risks appear to be well managed by the company's leadership, and its long-term leases, high renewal rates, and diversified customer base provide stability. It's time to stake your claim in the future of tech real estate Some investors still think REITs are too risky and don't deliver enough value. Those perceptions are often based on underperforming traditional sectors like retail or office space. That's where tech-powered REITs like Equinix come in. Gone are the days when investing in real estate meant buying a piece of something on the ground. Now you're buying into the cloud. Even in comparison to peers like Digital Realty, Equinix still stands out. It has a stronger international footprint, a more premium client base, and better historical uptime. If you're looking for a REIT that combines growth potential with resilience in the digital age, Equinix is arguably a top-tier pick. AI is only as powerful as the infrastructure behind it, and Equinix is building the digital backbone on which the future will run. Jakarta may just be one dot on the map, but it signals Equinix is putting itself at the forefront of the global shift. With recurring revenue, global scale, and a pioneering foothold in high-growth markets like Indonesia, this REIT could quietly become one of the most important tech stocks of the next decade. Investors looking to profit from AI's global expansion without the volatility of pure-play tech stocks may want to give Equinix a closer look. It might not be a flashy choice, but it's in a solid state and could be the smartest upgrade your portfolio makes this year. Should you invest $1,000 in Equinix right now? Before you buy stock in Equinix, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Equinix wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $664,089!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $881,731!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor 's total average return is994% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to172%for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 9, 2025 John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Philippa Main has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Digital Realty Trust, and Equinix. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
