Finland’s Approach to Tackling Media and Scientific Misinformation Crisis

In an era dominated by “fake news,” public trust in institutions faces mounting challenges, with citizens struggling to distinguish between fact and fiction. Finland has emerged as a global leader in combating false information, securing the top position in the European Media Literacy Index 2023.

Finland’s exceptional approach to media literacy can be largely attributed to its historical and geopolitical context. Having gained independence from Russia in 1917, the Nordic nation finds itself on the frontlines of an increasingly sophisticated information war. Russian disinformation campaigns—often amplified through far-right, nationalist, and self-described “alternative” Finnish media outlets—regularly attempt to undermine the European Union, inflame immigration debates, and influence discussions surrounding Finland’s NATO membership.

In response to these threats, Finland has developed a distinctive national strategy that treats resistance to disinformation as a form of civil defense—an essential component of the country’s broader security framework. This approach reflects Finland’s pragmatic recognition that information security is inseparable from national security in the digital age.

The Finnish government took proactive steps as early as 2014, launching comprehensive anti-fake news initiatives targeting politicians and journalists before the European Parliament election. During this period, Finland also established Faktabaari (“Fact Bar”), a dedicated fact-checking and digital literacy service designed to help citizens navigate the complex information landscape.

More recent efforts have expanded to address vulnerabilities among specific demographic groups. Finnish non-governmental organizations now run specialized programs for communities particularly susceptible to misinformation, including senior citizens and newly-arrived immigrants. These targeted interventions aim to equip these populations with the critical thinking skills necessary to identify and resist false information.

Finland’s most distinctive and arguably most effective strategy, however, has been its focus on early education. Media literacy education begins in Finnish primary schools, where media and science literacy are fully integrated into the curriculum rather than treated as supplementary subjects. This approach ensures that young Finns develop critical thinking skills from an early age, creating a foundation of media literacy that serves them throughout their lives.

The Finnish model offers valuable lessons for other democracies grappling with misinformation challenges. The country’s approach suggests that media literacy should not be relegated to a peripheral educational concern but instead treated as essential civic infrastructure—as fundamental to a functioning democracy as roads and utilities.

This perspective stands in stark contrast to approaches in countries like the United Kingdom and the United States, where misinformation often intertwines with deeper social divisions. The issue isn’t that British or American citizens lack the intellectual capacity of their Finnish counterparts; rather, these societies haven’t developed the robust educational, cultural, and emotional frameworks necessary for processing information in today’s complex media environment.

Finland’s success demonstrates that combating misinformation requires a multifaceted, society-wide approach. By integrating media literacy into education from an early age, engaging vulnerable populations, and framing information security as a national priority, Finland has created a population more resistant to manipulation.

As democracies worldwide confront increasingly sophisticated disinformation campaigns, Finland’s comprehensive strategy offers a compelling model. The Finnish experience suggests that cultivating a population skilled in media literacy isn’t merely an educational goal but a crucial component of national resilience and democratic health.

The nation’s approach represents a significant investment in what might be called “cognitive security”—protecting not just information systems but the very cognitive processes by which citizens make sense of the world. This Finnish lesson may prove essential as democracies navigate an increasingly complex and contested information landscape.