Defeating Distraction

Here are some tips to develop a healthier relationship with technology:

Escaping the Comparison Trap

This tip sheet will give you some tips for building a healthier relationship with social media so you can avoid the comparison trap and feel better about yourself online.

Understand How the 'Comparison Trap' Works

Here are a few things about social media that make us more likely to compare ourselves to others:

How to Train Your Algorithm

You can train the algorithms on social networks and video sites to show you more of what you want, and less of what you don’t want. Here are some tips:

Self-guided workshops and workshop kits (for workshops landing page)

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Self-guided workshops and workshop kits

For educators

For parents (for workshops landing page)

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Workshops for parents/guardians

Integrity at MediaSmarts

Learn more about how we practice integrity in all our work, including research projects, educational content and knowledge mobilization efforts.

For general public (for workshops landing page)

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Workshops for the general public

Workshop for youth (for workshops landing page)

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Workshops for youth

I’m overwhelmed online. Now what?

I probably could, and maybe should, write about all of the social media changes we are seeing. The troubling updates to Meta’s content moderation policies and the removal of their fact-checking program, the complicated TikTok ban in the US, all of it.

Managing conversations about elections and the media as a parent

Ontario is currently in an election campaign and the entire country will have a federal election at some point this year as well (the exact date is yet to be determined).  As a parent, elections pose a valuable time to have discussions with kids about the privilege of voting, the ways democracy works, how the Canadian government functions, how political advertising works, why sharing accurate info about politics matters and more.