Integrity at MediaSmarts

At MediaSmarts, integrity is a core value of our organization. It guides how we seek out funding to achieve our mission, how we form partnerships, how we remain accountable to our vision and how we respond to feedback and inquiries. We practice integrity in all our work, including research projects, educational content and knowledge mobilization efforts. 

Integrity is embedded in our organization in the following ways:

• Our partnerships with funders are built on a shared commitment to advancing digital media literacy. Funders, including federal, provincial and territorial governments, as well as corporate partners, provide MediaSmarts with opportunities to develop and produce essential research and educational resources. None of our funders exert influence on any of our work, including the content of research and resources.
• MediaSmarts maintains editorial independence over all our owned and co-owned content. This independence allows us to make evidence-based recommendations and provide constructive feedback directly to funders and corporate partners, when appropriate. MediaSmarts does not endorse any products or services, and any content that offers guidance on specific digital tools and platforms does not constitute an endorsement. 
• We uphold public accountability practices with our funders which include clear guidelines on conflict of interest and sponsorship. We also have a commitment to a community-based research approach which includes a review and approval of our research studies by the Community Research Ethics Office.
• As a registered charity, MediaSmarts is non-partisan. We adhere to all regulations established by the Canadian Revenue Agency that preclude the organization from engaging in any partisan activities. 
• Finally, we value intellectual humility. As a team, we stay open to new evidence and perspectives on identified best practices as well as the professional consensus in fields relevant to digital media literacy. We learn from our network of colleagues and adjust our positions based on the best available evidence. 

MediaSmarts is proud to be a leading expert in digital media literacy research and education. We will always guide our work by the framework outlined above to ensure our integrity and independence.