Rethinking Media Literacy 2025

Finland’s Media Literacy in Finland policy, published in 2019 by the Ministry of Education and Culture in collaboration with the National Audiovisual Institute (KAVI), represents a landmark update to the country’s media education framework originally set out in 2013.54 It represents a comprehensive, whole-of- society approach designed to cultivate robust media literacy skills across all age groups, with particular emphasis on children and adolescents. Recognizing the rapid digital transformation and the rising threat of disinformation, the policy aims to embed MIL as a fundamental part of civic education and lifelong learning. It seeks to empower citizens to critically evaluate media content, engage responsibly in digital environments and contribute to a healthy democratic society. The policy promotes broad collaboration among multiple government ministries – including Education and Culture, Transport and Communications, Justice and the Prime Minister’s Office – alongside key institutions such as schools, libraries, youth organizations, cultural bodies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). A special focus is placed on tackling hate speech and political disinformation, particularly during sensitive times such as elections and public crises, thereby enhancing societal resilience against information manipulation. Socio-ecological level At the policy level, Finland’s media education strategy is characterized by strong governmental leadership and a coordinated, cross-ministerial approach. Key ministries collaborate to ensure media literacy is embedded as a national priority. The Finnish National Agency for Education plays a central role in institutionalizing media literacy by integrating it into the national curricula and teacher training programmes, ensuring that educators across the country are equipped to teach critical media skills to children from early childhood onwards. KAVI operates as a pivotal government agency tasked with developing educational resources, providing training for professionals and advising policy-makers on emerging challenges related to disinformation and digital media use. Finland’s policy framework also aligns with European Union directives and regulations, such as the Audiovisual Media Services Directive, ensuring national measures comply with broader legal standards for safe and transparent media environments. Disinformation life cycle level The Finnish media literacy policy strategically addresses the pre-creation, distribution and consumption stages of the disinformation life cycle by embedding media literacy education and awareness-building across society. At the pre-creation stage, the Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI) plays a central role by integrating media literacy into the national school curriculum from early education onwards. This approach aims to develop critical thinking skills, ethical understanding and digital responsibility among students before they begin creating or sharing content themselves, thereby reducing the likelihood of generating or inadvertently contributing to disinformation. By fostering a strong foundation in evaluating sources and understanding the impact of information, these education efforts work to prevent harmful content at its inception. Regarding the distribution stage, organizations such as the Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority (FICORA) and various civil society groups promote responsible information-sharing behaviours among citizens. Additionally, Finland enforces EU-level regulations such as the Audiovisual Media Services Directive, which obligates platforms to address harmful content as well as promoting transparency. At the consumption stage, initiatives led by EDUFI, media literacy NGOs and public broadcasters such as Yleisradio (Yle) focus on equipping citizens with the skills to critically evaluate the information they encounter. Projects like Facts Against Hate equip individuals, especially youth, with skills to identify and counteract hate speech, extremist content and deliberately misleading narratives. Outcomes Finland’s media education policy has yielded a resilient, multidimensional ecosystem that integrates media literacy into the very fabric of education, governance and community engagement. It has successfully mainstreamed media and information literacy competencies across national curricula, teacher training and public education initiatives, creating widespread awareness and practical skills to counter disinformation. The coordinated involvement of multiple ministries and specialized agencies has fostered strong institutional support and sustained funding, ensuring policy longevity and adaptability. Access to free, high- quality educational materials and training services has democratized media literacy, reached diverse demographic groups and reduced digital inequalities. The policy’s emphasis on combating political disinformation and hate speech during critical moments such as elections has reinforced Finland’s democratic resilience.6.6 National media education policy Rethinking Media Literacy: A New Ecosystem Model for Information Integrity 34