Young Canadians in a Wireless World, Phase IV: Trends and Recommendations

Young Canadians in a Wireless World (YCWW) is Canada’s longest running and most comprehensive research study on young people’s attitudes, behaviours and opinions regarding the internet, technology and digital media. This report brings together findings from the qualitative and quantitative portions of Phase IV and offers a series of recommendations based on this data. We end this report with some reflections and conclusions on Phase IV of YCWW, including lessons learned and offer some next steps regarding the development of Phase V and the state of digital media literacy in Canada.

Youth Perspectives on the Use of Artificial Intelligence in Paediatric Healthcare

Consultative Report: Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used in healthcare, including paediatric care. While AI has the potential to improve diagnosis, research and efficiency, it also raises important ethical questions about consent, privacy, trust and decision-making. Drawing on insights from youth aged 10–17 in a mixed-methods study led by Dr. Melissa McCradden, this report explores young people’s perspectives on the use of AI in paediatric healthcare and offers recommendations for integrating AI in ways that respect children’s digital rights. The report is accompanied by practical resources for healthcare practitioners, patients and families navigating the use of AI in healthcare.

Motives and Methods: Building Resilience to Online Misinformation in Canada

MediaSmarts designed the Motives and Methods research project to better understand how Canadians check and share information online. This study, which included a survey of 5,000 Canadians and interactive focus groups, builds on MediaSmarts' successful Break the Fake (BTF) program. It looks at changes in participants’ fact-checking after watching a BTF video, along with their sharing habits, frequency of fact-checking, and confidence in their skills. Based on our study findings, we provide recommendations for designing effective video interventions that build citizen resilience to misinformation in Canada. This research shows that digital media literacy education works and encourages a wide range of people to check the accuracy of online content, especially before sharing it.

Building Resilience through DigitalSmarts

This report shares findings from MediaSmarts’ four-year intervention research project: Moving On: Digital Empowerment and Literacy Skills for Survivors (MODELSS), which developed and evaluated the Resilience through DigitalSmarts program. Delivered in shelters and transitional homes across Canada, the program provides trauma- and violence-informed digital media literacy training to help survivors of technology-facilitated violence and abuse build online safety skills and confidence. The report is structured around the project’s four phases (adaptation, implementation, evaluation and knowledge mobilization), outlining the approaches, methods, outcomes and lessons learned at each stage. It highlights key findings from the evaluation of the Resilience through DigitalSmarts program and concludes with reflections on what works well in trauma-informed digital media literacy interventions, as well as strategic priorities for addressing tech-facilitated violence at individual, interpersonal, community and systems levels.

Young Canadians in a Wireless World, Phase IV: Online Meanness and Cruelty

Young Canadians in a Wireless World (YCWW) is Canada’s longest running and most comprehensive research study on young people’s attitudes, behaviours and opinions regarding the internet, technology and digital media. This report is the first of two reports focusing on relationships and technology. This report highlights how often and where youth experience, witness, and engage in online cruelty as well as the reasons or motivations for their engagement. In the report, we also summarize findings related to how young people respond to online meanness and cruelty and from whom they seek support in navigating these harmful experiences.

Breaking the Cycle of Youth Cyberbullying

Breaking the Cycle of Youth Cyberbullying (BTC) is an intervention research project designed and developed by MediaSmarts. This project aims to develop, pilot, adapt and disseminate a culturally safe, evidence-informed cyberbullying prevention program for youth ages 12 to 17 in schools and community settings across Canada. In this report, we detail the methodology and findings from a needs assessment conducted in March and April 2026 to better understand the experiences, concerns, and needs of youth in Canada regarding preventing and addressing cyberbullying and online violence.

Building a National Digital Media Literacy Strategy in Canada

MediaSmarts and Digital Public Square brought together researchers, educators, policymakers and civil society leaders from across Canada for a roundtable on Systematic Approaches to Improving Digital Media Literacy in Canada. This report summarizes this discussion and the recommendations stemming from it.