OTTAWA, Ontario, July 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, CIRA is proud to announce $1.25 million in grant funding as part of its Net Good program, going towards supporting 15 new community-led internet initiatives that improve the lives of Canadians. Net Good Grants recipients are advancing community internet infrastructure, implementing solutions to combat online harm and ensuring the internet remains a force for good. CIRA's commitment this year to the Canadian internet ecosystem will reach more than 50,000 people who will benefit from the tremendous resources, opportunities and connections accessible online. With $12.95 million in community investments deployed across 232 projects since 2014, CIRA Net Good Grants have helped address digital challenges and provided essential funding to underserved groups affected by Canada's digital divide. According to research conducted for CIRA's 2024 Canada's Internet Factbook, more than three-quarters of Canadians (76 per cent) still report getting their news online—despite Meta's decision to remove news content from its Canadian services in response to Bill C-18. But with the spread of misinformation and disinformation, some of CIRA's funded initiatives this year are focusing not only on combating misinformation, but on identifying reliable news sources and keeping their communities safe online. "Youth often face inadequate online safety education. Wikimedia Canada wants to empower them with the skills needed to identify misinformation and promote a safer digital environment," said Louis Germain, Executive Director, Wikimedia Canada. "CIRA's funding for our Atikamekw Youth Misinformation Toolkit will help us deepen their understanding of Wikipedia's role in combating misinformation, fostering accurate information and supporting the reclamation and decolonization of their history." Whether it's helping the creation of a trilingual toolkit, the launch of an Indigenous, youth-led podcast in Quebec, or the organization of the 2024 Youth Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Toronto in September, CIRA understands the critical need to support the next generation of Canadian internet leaders. "Internet policy often overlooks the unique needs of rural youth and neglects the connection between online and offline spaces," said the team at John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights. "The CIRA grant empowers young voices to engage in shaping the policies that affect them, ensuring their concerns are heard and integrated into the decision-making processes that influence their lives and communities." For Karim Bardeesy, Executive Director at The Dais at Toronto Metropolitan University, the most exciting project ...