MediaSmarts (; formerly the Media Awareness Network, MNet) is a Canadian

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

and registered charity based in

Ottawa, Ontario Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...

, that focuses on

digital Digital usually refers to something using discrete digits, often binary digits. Businesses *Digital bank, a form of financial institution *Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) or Digital, a computer company *Digital Research (DR or DRI), a software ...

and

media literacy Media literacy is an expanded conceptualization of literacy that includes the ability to access and analyze Media (communication), media messages, as well as create, reflect and take action—using the power of information and communication—to ma ...

programs and

resources ''Resource'' refers to all the materials available in our environment which are Technology, technologically accessible, Economics, economically feasible and Culture, culturally Sustainability, sustainable and help us to satisfy our needs and want ...

. In particular, the organization promotes

critical thinking Critical thinking is the process of analyzing available facts, evidence, observations, and arguments to make sound conclusions or informed choices. It involves recognizing underlying assumptions, providing justifications for ideas and actions, ...

via educational resources and analyzes the content of various types of

mass media Mass media include the diverse arrays of media that reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit information electronically via media such as films, radio, recorded music, or television. Digital media comprises b ...

. Surveys and studies performed by MediaSmarts have explored youth

media consumption Media consumption or media diet is the sum of information and entertainment media taken in by an individual or group. It includes activities such as interacting with new media, reading books and magazines, watching television and film, and lis ...

, such as television and internet use, as well as media issues. In recent years, the organization's focus has shifted more heavily to digital literacy, although it continues to produce resources on

traditional media Old media, also called traditional media or legacy media, are the mass media institutions that dominated prior to the internet; particularly print media, film studios, music studios, advertising agencies, radio broadcasting, and television. Ol ...

. The funding for MediaSmarts is primarily derived from private sector sponsors and federal government grants. The group has also partnered with

Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company, technology conglomerate headquartered in Redmond, Washington. Founded in 1975, the company became influential in the History of personal computers#The ear ...

and

Bell Canada Bell Canada (commonly referred to as Bell) is a Canadian telecommunications company headquartered at 1 Carrefour Alexander-Graham-Bell in the borough of Verdun, Quebec, in Canada. It is an ILEC (incumbent local exchange carrier) in the province ...

to produce web resources for teachers and parents to protect kids online. MediaSmarts has received a number of awards for its work, including awards from

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

Global Alliance for Partnerships on Media and Information and the

Canadian Race Relations Foundation The Canadian Race Relations Foundation (CRRF; , ''FCRR'') is a charitable organization and Crown corporation responsible to foster racial harmony and cross-cultural understanding and help to eliminate racism in Canada. The foundation was offici ...

, as well as several online awards for web-based content.

Activities

Research

The organization's educational resources, public awareness campaigns, and policy recommendations are grounded in original research. In collaboration with various partners, MediaSmarts designs and facilitates qualitative and quantitative research projects and conducts evaluations of their programs and resources. The organization's ''Young Canadians in a Wireless World ''(YCWW) study is Canada’s longest running and most comprehensive research study on young people’s attitudes and behaviours regarding the internet, surveying over 20,000 parents, teachers and students since 2000. The findings from YCWW are used to set benchmarks for research on children’s use of the internet, technology and digital media and inform policy on the digital economy, privacy, online safety, online harms and digital well-being, digital citizenship and digital media literacy, among other topics. These findings have also been used to develop MediaSmarts’ ''USE, UNDERSTAND & CREATE: Digital Literacy Framework for Canadian Schools''. This research study informs other projects at MediaSmarts and other organizations, including academic institutions. YCWW is currently in its fourth phase. Phase IV began with a name change to the study – from ''Young Canadians in a Wired World'' to ''Young Canadians in a Wireless World''. This change in language speaks to shifts in digital technology and the internet (since 2000) from a ‘wired’ to ‘wireless’ world that presents new opportunities and challenges for youth, parents/guardians, educators, policymakers and the technology sector. In addition to YCWW research, MediaSmarts produces papers—both independently and in partnership with other organizations—on a variety of media issues, including

digital literacy Digital literacy is an individual's ability to find, evaluate, and communicate information using typing or digital media platforms. Digital literacy combines technical and cognitive abilities; it consists of using information and communication tec ...

, privacy education, online

civic engagement Civic engagement or civic participation is any individual or group activity addressing issues of public concern. Civic engagement includes communities working together or individuals working alone in both political and non-political actions to ...

food marketing Food marketing is the marketing of food products. It brings together the food producer and the consumer through a chain of marketing activities. Background Pomeranz & Adler, 2015, defines food marketing as a chain of marketing activities ...

, and

Internet governance Internet governance is the effort by governments, the private sector, civil society, and technical actors to develop and apply shared principles, norms, rules, and decision-making procedures that shape the evolution and use of the Internet. This ...

Education

MediaSmarts provides resources for educators, parents, youth and all Canadians. Their resources for the general public include tip sheets, videos, guides and blog posts. Their K-12 resources cover a wide range of issues related to digital media literacy. They are easily integrated into existing curriculum as they are aligned with classroom outcomes for all the provinces and territories. The majority of their educational resources are freely available on their website. They include classroom lesson plans with work sheets and backgrounders, tip sheets and multimedia games and quizzes. MediaSmarts developed a digital media literacy framework for Canadian schools called ''USE, UNDERSTAND & ENGAGE'', which provides a road map for teaching digital media literacy skills in Canadian schools. The framework draws on nine framework topics of digital media literacy and provides teachers with supporting lessons and interactive resources that are linked to curriculum outcomes for every province and territory.

Campaigns

Media Literacy Week is a national campaign annually hosted each October by MediaSmarts and the

Canadian Teachers' Federation The Canadian Teachers' Federation (CTF; ) is a bilingual not-for-profit organization and a national alliance of provincial and territorial teacher organizations representing more than 365,000 elementary and secondary school teachers throughout C ...

to promote digital media literacy, with activities and events taking place in classrooms, libraries, museums, and community groups through over 140 collaborating organizations. The event began in Canada in 2006 as National Media Education Week—changing its name to "Media Literacy Week" in 2009—and is now internationally celebrated, such as in the US and in countries around the world. In 2019, as part of their Break the Fake campaign (funded by

Canadian Heritage The Department of Canadian Heritage, or simply Canadian Heritage (), is the department of the Government of Canada that has roles and responsibilities related to initiatives that promote and support "Canadian identity and values, cultural develo ...

), MediaSmarts remade the popular house hippo

public service announcement A public service announcement (PSA) is a message in the public interest disseminated by the media without charge to raise public awareness and change behavior. Oftentimes these messages feature unsettling imagery, ideas or behaviors that are des ...

with the Ottawa-based creative agency HyperActive. The house hippo was originally created by a similar, since-defunct organization called Companies Committed to Kids. In 2022, MediaSmarts launched Digital Citizen Day, a new national awareness day in October to remind Canadians that everyone is a digital citizen and we have the power to impact our online spaces for the better. The goal of the day is to encourage ethical and responsible

digital citizenship The term digital citizen is used with different meanings. According to the definition provided by Karen Mossberger, one of the authors of ''Digital Citizenship: The Internet, Society, and Participation'', digital citizens are "those who use the i ...

History

The organization was founded as the Media Awareness Network (MNet) in 1994 under the auspices of the

National Film Board of Canada The National Film Board of Canada (NFB; ) is a Canadian public film and digital media producer and distributor. An agency of the Government of Canada, the NFB produces and distributes documentary films, animation, web documentaries, and altern ...

(NFB). The following year, MNet began to receive

seed funding Seed money, also known as seed funding or seed capital, is a form of securities offering in which an investor puts capital in a startup company in exchange for an equity stake or convertible note stake in the company. The term ''seed'' suggests ...

from

CBC CBC may refer to: Media * Cadena Baja California or Grupo Cadena, a radio and television broadcaster in Mexico * Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Canada's radio and television public broadcaster ** CBC Television ** CBC Radio One ** CBC Music ** ...

Western International Communications WIC Western International Communications Ltd. (or WIC) was a Canadian media company that operated from 1982 to 2000, with operations including broadcast and specialty television, radio, and satellite distribution via a majority interest in Ca ...

, CHUM Television, as well as from the federal departments

Health Canada Health Canada (HC; )Health Canada is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Department of Health (). is the Structure of the Canadian federal government#Departments, with subsidiary units, department of the Gove ...

Justice Canada The Department of Justice () is a department of the Government of Canada that represents the Canadian government in legal matters. The Department of Justice works to ensure that Canada's justice system is as fair, accessible and efficient as poss ...

Industry Canada Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED; ; )''Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada'' is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Department of Industry (). is a department of the G ...

, and the

Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Global Affairs Canada (GAC; ; AMC)''Global Affairs Canada'' is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (). is the department of the Government of Canada that ...

. Soon after, in 1996, the MNet would be incorporated as an independent

, along with launching its media education website. Three years later, it was granted

charitable status A charitable organization or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being (e.g. educational, religious or other activities serving the public interest or common good). The legal definition of a cha ...

. In 1999, with the help of MNet's work, the

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC; ) is a public organization in Canada tasked with the mandate as a regulatory agency tribunal for various electronic communications, covering broadcasting and telecommunic ...

(CRTC) announced that it would not regulate the Internet. In 2001, with MNet as a key partner, the federal government released its "Cyberwise" strategy on addressing illegal and offensive content on the Internet. On 29 May 2012, one year after their 15th anniversary, the organization was relaunched as MediaSmarts. The new brand was developed

pro-bono ( English: 'for the public good'), usually shortened to , is a Latin phrase for professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment. The term traditionally referred to provision of legal services by legal professionals for people who a ...

by Toronto-based advertising agency, Brandworks. In 2014, MediaSmarts partnered with the Information and Communications Technology Council to host a Youth and Digital Skills

symposium In Ancient Greece, the symposium (, ''sympósion'', from συμπίνειν, ''sympínein'', 'to drink together') was the part of a banquet that took place after the meal, when drinking for pleasure was accompanied by music, dancing, recitals, o ...

to advance the development of digital literacy skills in Canada. In 2016, the organization partnered with the CRTC, NFB, and Canadian Heritage in a Youth Discoverability Summit, exploring the ways in which youth access content in the modern age.

Organization

Board of directors

MediaSmarts is governed by an elected, volunteer Board of Directors, which includes representatives of

media companies Mass media include the diverse arrays of media that reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit information electronically via media such as films, radio, recorded music, or television. Digital media comprises bot ...

and such stakeholder sectors as education, libraries, and community- and youth-serving organizations.

Partners

In the 2022 fiscal year, MediaSmarts partnered with the following organizations: * AT&T * BC Anti-Racism Network * Canadian Commission for UNESCO * Canadian Heritage * Canadian Institutes of Health Research * Canadian Practitioners Network for the Prevention of Radicalization and Extremist Violence * Canadian Teachers’ Federation * CBC Kids * Centre de liaison de l'enseignement et des médias d'information * Centre québécois d’éducation aux médias et à l’information * Digital Public Square * GAPMIL * Get Cyber Safe * Global Centre for Pluralism * Global Network Against Hate * Hands On Media Education * Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario * Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada * Institute for Research on Digital Literacy * Media & Learning * Mental Health in the Digital Age Lab- Ontario Tech University * Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies * Office of the Privacy Commissioner * Public Health Agency of Canada * Public Safety Canada * School Libraries Canada * Science Up First * SecDev Foundation * Sex Information & Education Council of Canada * Surveillance Studies Network * TELUS Wise * The Information and Communications Technology Council * The Sex Information & Education Council of Canada * Toronto Public Library * TVO Kids * YWCA Federal government partners *

CRTC The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC; ) is a public organization in Canada tasked with the mandate as a regulatory agency tribunal for various electronic communications, covering broadcasting and telecommunic ...

Historica Canada Historica Canada is a Canadian charitable organization dedicated to promoting the country's history and citizenship. All of its programs are offered bilingually and reach more than 28 million Canadians annually. A registered national charitabl ...

* ISED * Office of the Privacy Commissioner *

Public Health Agency of Canada The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC; ) is an agency of the Government of Canada that is responsible for public health, emergency preparedness and response, and infectious and chronic disease control and prevention. History The PHAC was f ...

Public Safety Canada Public Safety Canada (PS; , SP), legally incorporated as the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness (PSEPC), is the department of the Government of Canada responsible for (most) matters of public safety, emergency management, nat ...

University partners *

Carleton University Carleton University is an English-language public university, public research university in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1942 as Carleton College, the institution originally operated as a private, non-denominational evening college to se ...

Concordia University Concordia University () is a Public university, public English-language research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1974 following the merger of Loyola College (Montreal), Loyola College and Sir George Williams Universit ...

Simon Fraser University Simon Fraser University (SFU) is a Public university, public research university in British Columbia, Canada. It maintains three campuses in Greater Vancouver, respectively located in Burnaby (main campus), Surrey, British Columbia, Surrey, and ...

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public university, public research university whose main campus is located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park (Toronto), Queen's Park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was founded by ...

University of Waterloo The University of Waterloo (UWaterloo, UW, or Waterloo) is a Public university, public research university located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is on of land adjacent to uptown Waterloo and Waterloo Park. The university also op ...

Awards and recognition

MediaSmarts has received a number of awards for its work, including awards from

Global Alliance for Partnerships on Media and Information, as well as several online awards for web-based content. In 1999, MNet was awarded the inaugural Canadian Race Relations Foundation Award of Excellence by the

in recognition of its "extensive collection of

anti-racism Anti-racism encompasses a range of ideas and political actions which are meant to counter racial prejudice, systemic racism, and the oppression of specific racial groups. Anti-racism is usually structured around conscious efforts and deliberate ...

education resources." In 2006, MNet was included as a Canadian "

best practice A best practice is a method or technique that has been generally accepted as superior to alternatives because it tends to produce superior results. Best practices are used to achieve quality as an alternative to mandatory standards. Best practice ...

" in UNESCO’s comprehensive ''Media Education: A Kit for Teachers, Students, Parents and Professionals''.

References

External links

MediaSmartsHabiloMédias
*{{cite journal , author=Taylor, Anne , title=The Media Awareness Network: Online for Teachers. , journal=Emergency Librarian, volume=24, issue=2, pages=32–33 , date=Nov–Dec 1996 , url=http://eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/custom/portlets/recordDetails/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=EJ536242&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=EJ536242 , issn=0315-8888 , access-date=2008-12-04 Organizations established in 1994 1994 establishments in Canada Educational organizations based in Ontario Communications and media organizations based in Canada Media studies Organizations based in Ottawa Non-profit organizations based in Canada