For the first time, Nordic people’s media literacy has come under the loupe. What do we really know about media? Which media do we use? Do we trust them? And are there differences between Nordic countries and age groups?
The new report “Nordic Media Literacy Survey” provides some answers.
The survey was conducted by the media authorities in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Just over 12,000 people participated.
Use of AI service
The survey shows that the Nordic countries are pretty similar in general, but there are also some differences.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the answers show that young people spend more time in the digital world, and that older people have a higher knowledge of traditional media.
Media literacy important for resilience and democracy
In addition to questions about more traditional media like newspapers, radio and TV, the survey delved into the populations’ use of AI, attitudes to AI and trust – or the lack thereof – in AI.
AI makes a positive contribution to democracy
“Media literacy is an important part of the Nordic countries’ resilience. By educating both children and adults to be source critical and by giving them tools to detect attempts at influence and fake news, we strengthen our resilience and our democracy.”
Those were the words of Anders Adlercreutz, Finland’s Minister of Education and for Nordic Cooperation, in a statement issued in connection with the publication of the report.
Using AI to write assignments
And if there is one thing the survey answers show, it is that we are curious about AI and that we have started using it.
The use of AI is highest among young people. It is used considerably less by older citizens. On average, nearly half of the population has used an AI service in the past three months.
There are large differences between age groups. Among the youngest, nearly three out of four respondents have used AI services, while the share in the oldest group is fewer than one in five.
Areas of use of AI services among 9–15-year-olds, in per cent
The most common use of AI is to find information. When asked what they used AI for most recently, a majority of respondents said they had used an AI service to look for information.
Young adults, often still in education, use AI more often to help them write assignments and for programming, while older adults, to a larger degree, use AI primarily to test the technology.
We feel the AI train is going too fast
The use of AI services is relatively equal across the Nordic countries. In Finland and Iceland, people are somewhat more likely to use AI to test how the technology works. In Sweden, Norway and Denmark, AI is more often used to support assignment writing.
The survey participants were also asked to assess various statements about AI.
AI makes it harder to determine what is genuine or false
In Norway, Denmark and Finland, AI is to a larger extent seen as a useful and efficiency-enhancing tool than in Sweden and Iceland.
At the same time, there is widespread concern across the Nordics that AI is developing too fast and that it is difficult to anticipate the possible consequences the technology might have.
AI is developing too fast and it is hard to gain an overview of the potential consequenses
Many are also worried about AI’s impact on media content and argue this will make it harder to distinguish between real and false information.
Overall, there is limited trust that AI services provide accurate and reliable information or that they contribute positively to democracy. There is somewhat more scepticism in Sweden, Finland and particularly in Iceland.
Younger adults are more likely to agree that AI can make work easier for journalists and the media, simplify information searches, provide accurate and reliable information, and contribute positively to democracy.
Older adults are less optimistic and more often respond that they have no clear opinion on these issues.
