| MediaSmarts

Online Privacy, Online Publicity: Youth do more to protect their reputation than their information

Do young people care about privacy? Participants in MediaSmarts’ 2012 focus groups told us that they valued their privacy highly, despite being enthusiastic participants in platforms and activities that adults see as being about nothing but sharing and broadcasting. Looking at the findings from our Young Canadians in a Wired World survey of more than five thousand students from every province and territory in Canada, we can begin to understand that contradiction: young people may not care that much about what we think of as privacy, but they care very much about control – control over who can see what they post, over who can track them digitally and, most especially, over how other people see them.

Cell Phones and Texting, Cyber Security, Digital Citizenship, Internet & Mobile, Privacy, Social Networking

Putting together the online privacy puzzle: a parent’s perspective

When I was growing up, the issue of privacy was limited to eavesdropping on phone calls and making sure the key to my diary was well hidden. As a parent raising kids in a media age, the word has taken on a whole new meaning. I think that as a family of active netizens, it’s imperative that we - and our kids - understand the issues surrounding online privacy.

Parents

Literacy, Digital Literacy or Media Literacy?

Emerging ideas and trends in the space of new literacies are indeed fluid and, through discussion, seem to always be in a state of constant flux. As teachers and learners engage with online content and media, strategies and pedagogies bounce between conventional and contemporary approaches. This ongoing conversation and discovery is representative of the media landscape itself - always shifting - suggesting that our strategies and approaches should be charged with being able to adapt and grow. A tall order indeed, so how do we build capacity that makes room for convention, innovation and redefinition in literacy?

Events, Professional Development

Help Us Grow!

If someone living in the 19th century were to travel to our era they would be most amazed by the fact that our children, rather than working in the fields or in factories, spend their days in school. Today we view education as a human right, and at MediaSmarts (formerly known as Media Awareness Network) we believe that digital and media literacy should also be a right in the education of children and youth.

Media Awareness Network is now MediaSmarts!

For the past year we’ve been hard at work conceptualizing a new brand to more clearly define who we are and what we do. Working with our Board of Directors and the wonderful creative team at Brandworks, who volunteered hours of their valuable time to this effort, we spent several months developing our new name and logo.

MediaSmarts and CIRA release cyber security tip sheet for online commerce

MediaSmarts has partnered with the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) to develop the Online Commerce Cyber Security Consumer Tip Sheet – the fourth in a series of tip sheets on cyber security issues.

Cyber Security, Internet & Mobile

Remembering Jacques Bensimon

It is with sadness we note the passing on August 26 of Jacques Bensimon, a great champion for Canadian film and television. A gifted arts administrator and filmmaker, Jacques leaves a large legacy through his many contributions to Canada’s cultural life.

Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for the New Year!

As we come to the end of 2012, we reflect on the busy and exciting year that just passed. We’re ending the year with a new name, new logo, and new website, but with the same dedication to supporting adults in helping raise a generation of media savvy youth!

New and updated resources

Not only was 2012 a year of rebranding and change, we were also very busy at work updating our resources and creating brand new lesson plans. We released 21 new and updated lessons on a variety of topics from bias and crime in the media to free speech and the internet and challenging hate online.