About
The Media Ecosystem Observatory (MEO) is an interdisciplinary collaboration between McGill University and the University of Toronto that studies media ecosystem health. It is the coordinating body of the Canadian Digital Media Research Network (CDMRN), a pioneering initiative launched in June 2023 committed to fortifying and fostering resilience within Canada's unique information ecosystem.
MEO’s mission is to understand the dynamics of information production, dissemination, and consumption across digital media with the goal of empowering Canadians to navigate the complexities of the modern digital age.
MEO has been delivering large-scale information ecosystem research projects in Canada since 2019. It combines large-scale online data analysis with survey research to study how information flows impact citizen’s attitudes and behaviours, and assesses these phenomena on the overall strength of Canadian democracy. Recognizing the distinct challenges posed by misinformation, foreign interference, rising polarization, and growing institutional distrust, our approach is tailored to addressing the diverse research and policy needs of Canada. As a bilingual nation with expansive geographic variation, large diaspora communities, and heavily influenced by the U.S. information environment, Canada requires bespoke initiatives that consider its ecosystem-level characteristics to help ensure effective governance of our increasingly vital digital domain.