Media Awareness Network

The Media Awareness Network is a Canadian non-profit organization based in Ottawa that focuses on media literacy programs. In particular, the organization promotes critical thinking via education resources and analyzes the content of various types of mass media. Surveys and studies performed by the Media Awareness Network have explored youth media consumption, such as television and internet use, as well as media issues, not unlike the Parents Television Council in the United States, though Media Awareness Network has a greater emphasis on stereotypes and is more left-leaning.^[1] In addition, Media Awareness Network focuses less on censorship and more on advocacy.

The funding for The Media Awareness Network is primarily derived from private sector sponsors and Canadian Government grants.^[2][3] The group partnered with Microsoft and Bell Canada to produce web resources for teachers and parents to protect kids online.^[2] The Media Awareness Network has received a number of awards for its work, including an award from the Canadian Race Relations Foundation and several online awards for web-based content.^[4]

One of the large studies undertaken by the Media Awareness Network is Young Canadians in a Wired World, a research study to investigate and track and the "behaviours, attitudes, and opinions" of Internet use in Canadian children and youth.^[5][6] Results from this study, which indicate high levels of personal information collection by websites popular with children,^[7] have been cited to argue that parental supervision of child internet use alone "cannot adequately protect children" that have the highest levels of social internet use.^[8]

See also

• Parents Television Council, a rough equivalent to Media Awareness Network in the United States

References

1. ^ Globe and Mail: Bunn, Bill (2007-06-26). "The new student". The Globe and Mail (Toronto). http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070626.wgtnewstudent0626/BNStory/Technology/home. Retrieved 2008-12-04. 
2. ^ ^{a b} CNET News: "Teaching kids to drive the Net". http://news.zdnet.com/2009-1040_22-6057231.html. Retrieved 2008-12-04. ^{[dead link]}
3. ^ "The Media Awareness Network - Overview", Media Awareness Network
4. ^ The Media Awareness Network Awards and online recognition
5. ^ "Young Canadians in a Wired World – Overview", Media Awareness Network
6. ^ Taylor, Anne (Fall 2001). "Young Canadians in a Wired World: How Canadian Kids Are Using the Internet". Education Canada 41 (3): 32–35. ISSN 0013-1253. http://eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/custom/portlets/recordDetails/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=EJ643772&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=EJ643772. Retrieved 2008-12-08. 
7. ^ "Market researchers target kids with online games", CBC News, February 4, 2008
8. ^ Steeves, Valerie & Webster, Cheryl (2008). "Closing the Barn Door: The Effect of Parental Supervision on Canadian Children's Online Privacy". Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society 28 (1): 4–19. doi:10.1177/0270467607311488. 

External links

• Media Awareness Network website
• Taylor, Anne (Nov-Dec 1996). "The Media Awareness Network: Online for Teachers.". Emergency Librarian 24 (2): 32–33. ISSN 0315-8888. http://eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/custom/portlets/recordDetails/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=EJ536242&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=EJ536242. Retrieved 2008-12-04.