Latest news with #MediaSmarts
Vancouver Sun
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
Opinion: Why media literacy should be mandatory in B.C. classrooms
Article content In 2024, a staggering 64 per cent of Canadians admitted to not knowing how to fact-check information. Alarming, isn't it? Fortunately this statistic is entirely false, but if you felt any concern, you've just experienced the ease with which misinformation spreads. Article content Article content Statistics Canada reports that nearly half of Canadians struggle to differentiate between true and false information online, making media literacy more crucial than ever and something that must become a standard part of B.C.'s school curriculum. Article content Article content Teens are entering the digital landscape younger than ever. CNN reported that as of 2021 children as young as seven are navigating social media independently. Introducing mandatory media literacy into the B.C. curriculum will help equip students with the critical thinking skills necessary to analyze sources, verify information, recognize bias and employ social media as a productive tool. Article content According to Media Smarts, Canada's Centre for Digital Media Literacy, B.C.'s Education Ministry introduced a new curriculum framework in 2016 to reflect our technology-driven world. With input from experts, media literacy elements were incorporated into courses such as English language arts, social studies, and applied design. The ministry even developed the B.C. Digital Literacy Framework, emphasizing critical areas such as digital citizenship, ethical online behaviour and skills to evaluate digital information. Article content Article content Courses like New Media 11 and 12 are designed to help students understand the shifting role of technology in communication and the importance of digital platforms in exchanging ideas. These are steps in the right direction — but they remain optional and are often inaccessible to younger students. Right now, media literacy education is scattered, dependant on electives and educator discretion. This means that many students can graduate without ever being taught how to evaluate sources, spot disinformation or understand the algorithms that shape their online experiences. Article content
Cision Canada
05-05-2025
- Cision Canada
IPC highlights student privacy and digital literacy during Education Week 2025 Français
TORONTO, May 5, 2025 /CNW/ - Education Week is an opportunity to celebrate the vital role education plays in building a strong, informed, and inclusive society. As children and youth spend more of their lives online, it is also a timely reminder of the growing importance of digital literacy, privacy education, and responsible digital citizenship. With teachers already planning for the next school year, the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC) is marking the occasion by promoting resources to help schools and educators protect children's privacy and equip the next generation to navigate digital spaces safely and confidently. "Children and youth deserve to grow up with the skills and confidence they need to navigate the digital world safely, responsibly, and with respect for their own and others' privacy," said Patricia Kosseim, Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario. "By teaching privacy early — at school and at home — we can empower young people with the knowledge and agency they need to protect themselves, make good decisions, and thrive in our increasingly digital world." Children and Youth in a Digital World is a strategic priority for the IPC, focusing on championing the access and privacy rights of Ontario's children and youth by promoting their digital literacy and digital rights, while holding institutions accountable for protecting the children and youth they serve. To support this work, the IPC has developed several tools and initiatives for schools, educators, parents, and young people, including: Digital Privacy Charter for Ontario Schools: The charter outlines 12 commitments schools can make to strengthen privacy protections for students and build trust with students and families. The IPC is urging schools to sign the pledge before the 2025-26 school year. Privacy Pursuit! lesson plans (Grades 2–8): Developed with MediaSmarts, these classroom-ready lessons align with Ontario's updated curriculum and help teachers engage students in learning privacy skills, spotting online risks, and reflecting on their digital footprint. Each lesson pairs with the IPC's Privacy Pursuit! activity booklet. Privacy Pursuit!: This free activity booklet is filled with fun puzzles and games to help children learn how to protect their privacy online, spot scams, and build empathy for others. It's ideal for families to use during game night or one-on-one time with the kids. Youth Ambassador Toolkit: Developed with input from the IPC's Youth Advisory Council, this toolkit has everything students aged 12+ need to lead peer-to-peer conversations about privacy rights, digital literacy, and protecting personal information. IPC's Instagram channel @ is a space just for youth, with simple tips, comics, and videos on protecting privacy, making smart digital choices, and understanding their rights. Education Week runs from May 5 to 9, 2025, celebrating the role of education in shaping the next generation. Take the pledge now and sign the digital charter! The IPC encourages educators, parents, and youth to explore its tools and resources to support privacy education and help children and youth build the knowledge and skills they need to be safe, informed, and confident online.
CBC
02-04-2025
- CBC
Netflix series Adolescence shocks parents, raises concerns about online radicalization
The Netflix series Adolescence has left many parents unsettled. The disturbing drama follows the case of a 13-year-old boy accused of stabbing a classmate to death — raising urgent questions about youth violence and online radicalization. Are parents doing enough to educate and protect their children? Matthew Johnson, director of education at MediaSmarts, weighs in.
CBC
30-01-2025
- Health
- CBC
Doctors Manitoba warns about medical misinformation as it launches annual wellness campaign
Doctors Manitoba says it's doing its part in the fight against medical misinformation. The organization representing the province's physicians said it's looking to combat the spread of false medical information online as part of this year's Getting Healthy campaign, which encourages Manitobans to focus on their well-being during the winter months by offering incentives for those who make a pledge to improve their health. The Getting Healthy website includes guides and links to educational material on many health-related subjects, including vaccines. "It's harder than ever for Manitobans to improve their health … between the cold weather and winters and the rise of online medical misinformation," Dr. Randy Guzman, the organization's president, said Thursday. "It can be difficult to know what to trust or who to trust, and where to start." A recent survey commissioned by the Canadian Medical Association suggests 43 per cent of Canadians are highly vulnerable to believing in misinformation. The association said that number is growing as a lack of access to physicians leads to more people looking for advice outside medical settings. Thirty-seven per cent of respondents said they had no choice but to seek health information online because they don't have access to a doctor, according to the survey. It was conducted online from Nov. 12-19, 2024, and sampled 3,727 Canadians. A margin of error cannot be assigned to an online survey, but the margin for a comparable probability-based random sample of the same size is plus or minus 1.96 per cent, 19 times out of 20, the survey says. "This was a top concern, of course, during the [height] of the COVID-19 pandemic, but misinformation is more common and more rampant now," Guzman said. "It can appear very highly credible and leave people vulnerable to avoiding proven approaches to prevent and treat medical conditions, or trying things that actually can be dangerous to one's health." Finding a trusted source The organization's warning also comes as social media giant Meta moves to end its fact-checking program south of the border following Donald Trump's election. Kara Brisson-Boivin, research director at MediaSmarts, said it's becoming increasingly difficult to separate what's true from what's not. Last fall, the non-profit media literacy group brought back the North American house hippo — the fictional critter that once helped teach Canadian children not to believe everything they see on TV — to warn about the dangers of artificial intelligence. Brisson-Boivin said when it comes to science, knowing whom to trust is also becoming more challenging because the idea of expertise is getting blurrier. "The scientific and medical communities … determine best practice through consensus," she said. "[That] can sometimes bump up against individuals in positions of authority whose opinions may differ from the community's consensus, but … the most trusted sources of information for us are those large bodies of consensus." On Thursday, U.S. lawmakers continued questioning Trump's pick for top health official over his past promotion of widely discredited theories. Senators grilled Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over previous statements questioning the safety of vaccines during Day 2 of his confirmation hearing to become the U.S. health secretary. Starting the conversation Dr. Christen Rachul, who teaches with the University of Manitoba's faculty of medicine, said the situation south of the border is concerning, but she feels like she's been here before. Rachul, who has previously done research on how misinformation spread during the COVID-19 pandemic, said the sophisticated algorithms underlying social media make it extremely easy for people to get "stuck in silos," where they're constantly fed misinformation. Some work has been done to consider that issue in medical school and residency training, as future doctors learn how to interact with patients, she said. "There is a lot more patients coming with their own suggestions … which is not a bad thing," said Rachul. "They have concerns. They want to figure out a way to be healthy and live well in the way that they want. So I think one of the biggest things that physicians can do is just to engage in that conversation … and just kind of coming to that understanding with a bit more empathy and actual openness." Participants in the Doctors Manitoba Getting Healthy campaign can take a pledge to do things like catching up on immunizations, or taking steps to move more, eat healthier, get better sleep or reduce stress to earn a chance to win prizes. This year's grand prize is a Churchill trip for two. About 18,000 made a pledge during last year's challenge, the organization said.
