Unravel the strategies Finland employs to combat disinformation, a global menace threatening the fabric of society. Discover how this Nordic nation stands as a beacon of resilience, fostering an informed citizenry and safeguarding democratic values against the onslaught of false narratives.
Finland has a country-wide media literacy program at all levels of education
This educational model, developed in Finland, teaches young students to push back against “fake news” as early as primary school
- The Finnish government began this program in 2014 when Russian disinformation became increasingly widespread
Early Media Literacy Education Works
Finland is the top country in the European media literacy index, and other high-scoring countries are equipped to withstand the impact of fake news due to the quality of education, free media, and high trust among people
- This early media education is an essential part of Finland’s success, but it does require resources
Don’t Call It “Fake News”
Misinformation includes errors that may be unintentional
- Disinformation encompasses outright lies
- Malinformation may be accurate or inaccurate; either way, the goal is to cause harm
- Even quite young children can grasp this breakdown
- Educational approaches are the best vaccination strategy to fake news
