13.01.2026

Media literacy in the Nordics mapped for the first time

Common comparable data on media literacy in the Nordic countries is now available for the first time thanks to the Nordic Media Literacy Survey – a new study by the Nordic Council of Ministers carried out by the media authorities in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. Just over 12,000 people in the Nordics took part in the survey. The results show that although media knowledge is good, there are huge differences in knowledge between different age groups.

Vital for resilience and democracy

One-third of adults aged 16 to 44 find it difficult to keep up with the news, while around one-fifth of over-55s do not verify news content they suspect is fake. These examples demonstrate the need for continued investment in education in media literacy in the Nordic Region.

“Media literacy is an important component of Nordic societal resilience. By educating children and adults in source criticism and giving them the tools they need to detect fake news and attempts to influence, we can strengthen our resilience and our democracy. This survey is an important step towards being able to improve our analysis of and work with these important issues at a Nordic level going forwards,” says Finland’s Minister of Education and Minister for Nordic Co-operation, Anders Adlercreutz.

Overall, the survey shows that the Nordic countries are very similar, even if there are differences. The biggest differences are not between countries, but between different age groups.

“Younger people are more digitally savvy, while older people are more knowledgeable about traditional media. Knowledge and understanding of different media types, how they work, and how this can affect content is important for both source criticism and source trust,” says Catharina Bucht, analyst at the Swedish Agency for the Media and project lead for the survey.

Unique venture

The purpose of the survey is to get a picture of media literacy in the Nordic population and produce a knowledge base in efforts to promote media literacy. The survey is the first of its kind and sheds light on knowledge, abilities, and attitudes towards the media.

“The Nordic countries are working actively to promote media literacy. However, we’ve lacked a common basis for what people’s actual level of knowledge is like. Which areas do we need to do better in? And what groups need more help than others? This survey helps to shed light on these questions,” says Bucht.

Take-aways from the results: Adults (aged 16 and over)

People in the Nordics have a fairly good grasp of how different media sources are financed (via tax or advertising/subscriptions).
Although the majority are aware that they can report inappropriate material to the platforms, one-third of those aged 55 and over do not do so.
Those who have used an AI tool see more benefits from AI, including benefits for democracy or for journalists in their work. However, users express concerns to the same extent as those who have not tried any AI tool, stating that it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish what is fake from what is real and that development is too rapid.
A third of those aged 16–44 find it difficult to keep up with the news.
Four in ten report that they avoid commenting on social media posts out of fear of being attacked.

Take-aways from the results: Children and young people (aged 9–15)

Social media is the primary source of news for young people. However, young people’s trust in social media as a source of information is low.
Those aged 9–15 consider television news to be credible and good for democracy.
Two-thirds of children and young people know that they can report content on social media that violates the rules. One in five said that they have reported content.
It is difficult for young people to differentiate news from other editorial content on news sites.
Most find it difficult to determine which sources they can trust and find it difficult to keep up with the news.
A third of those aged 9–12 uses Tiktok and Snapchat daily, despite the platforms having a minimum age limit of 13.
Digital and social media are widely used by children and young people. As a result, it is easier for them to answer questions about these media sources than questions about traditional media.