In recent years, the organization's focus has shifted more heavily to digital literacy, although it continues to produce resources on traditional media.

[1] The group has also partnered with Microsoft and Bell Canada to produce web resources for teachers and parents to protect kids online.

In collaboration with various partners, MediaSmarts designs and facilitates qualitative and quantitative research projects and conducts evaluations of their programs and resources.

In addition to YCWW research, MediaSmarts produces papers—both independently and in partnership with other organizations—on a variety of media issues, including digital literacy, privacy education, online civic engagement, food marketing, and Internet governance.

[13] In 2019, as part of their Break the Fake campaign (funded by Canadian Heritage),[14] MediaSmarts remade the popular house hippo public service announcement with the Ottawa-based creative agency HyperActive.

[16] The organization was founded as the Media Awareness Network (MNet) in 1994 under the auspices of the National Film Board of Canada (NFB).

In 2001, with MNet as a key partner, the federal government released its "Cyberwise" strategy on addressing illegal and offensive content on the Internet.

[4] MediaSmarts is governed by an elected, volunteer Board of Directors, which includes representatives of media companies and such stakeholder sectors as education, libraries, and community- and youth-serving organizations.

In 2006, MNet was included as a Canadian "best practice" in UNESCO’s comprehensive Media Education: A Kit for Teachers, Students, Parents and Professionals.