Ashley Hermalin

Ashley Hermalin is a Master’s student in the Communication and Culture program at Toronto Metropolitan University, with a Honours Bachelor in Journalism from Carleton University. Her research explores digital journalism, social media, and news circulation in Canada. Her background includes published work in The Jerusalem Post and its magazine, as well as over two years of experience as a freelance social media manager. Ashley’s current research focuses on the rise of alternative news content on social media in the wake of the Online News Act (Bill C-18). Recent projects have examined Meta’s policies on transparency and content regulation. Her presentation, Escaping the Block: the Brandon Gonez show and the loopholes in the Online News Act, investigates how independent Canadian news creators navigate, and in some cases circumvent, the legislations limitations on digital news distribution.