2.2 Young People's Understanding of How Media and Social Media Produce Content

Having an understanding how media outlets are financed can be useful when assessing content or credibility. Funding, as well as media regulation, may influence content and how it is presented. Thus, in being media literate, understanding the framework or conditions different media are working under helps to critically examine media reporting and content production.

Media Financing

Questions about media financing were asked regarding leading newspapers/news sites, public service channel and commercial TV channels in each country. The survey shows that most young people in all the Nordic countries, on average half of the respondents, 51 percent, understand that public service companies and channels are financed through taxes. The share of young people who believe the biggest commercial TV channel is primarily funded by taxes is relatively low (16 percent).

There is more uncertainty regarding how the daily newspaper is financed. On average, about a third of the young people believe that the biggest daily newspaper in their country is primarily financed through advertising. There is a greater share, almost half of the respondents who believe that Facebook is financed by advertising. One in ten believe that Facebook is financed through taxes.

Perhaps the most important result is that there is a relatively high share of respondents who say they don’t know about the funding sources of different media/media companies, on average 38 percent, four out of ten.

To illustrate this question, the Swedish result will be used. The Swedish youth correctly state that SVT and Sveriges Radio receives most of their money through taxes, while TV4 and Facebook receives financing through advertising. The result is less clear in regards to the newspaper/news site Aftonbladet and about one third of the respondents, 28 percent, say that they don’t know if media is financed by taxes or advertising.

Figure 2.2.1. Knowledge regarding media financing in Sweden among 9- to 15-year-olds (percent)

Social media platforms and terms of use

Most social media platforms have an age limit of 13 years, but about a third of the 9–12-year-old respondents answer that they use TikTok (27 percent) and Snapchat (33 percent) daily. YouTube reaches both age groups, more than half of the 9- to 15-year-olds daily. On a weekly basis almost nine of ten report to use YouTube.

Figure 2.2.2. Youths’ social media use by age and platform (percent)

Do you use any of the following social media platforms?

A majority of youths in the Nordic countries are aware of the right to report posts that violate a social media platform’s terms of use, 65 percent, and 20 percent have actually done so. The result is very similar in all four Nordic countries.

Figure 2.2.3. Youths’ awareness of right to report posts on social media by country (percent)

About two out of three respondents are aware of the possibility to report rule breaking content, but less than one in five has done so. Awareness and experience reporting content is somewhat higher in the older age group, 13–15 years.

Figure 2.2.4. Youths’ awareness of right to report posts on social media by age (percent)

Key insights

Media financing models are correctly understood by the larger portion of youth, but significant groups misattribute financing models or cannot provide answers. About half of the young people know public service is tax-funded and that commercial media is ad-funded, but many also believe that commercial media is tax-funded. A large share of 'don’t know'-replies furthermore signal a broad knowledge gap in funding.
Some social media platforms are enormously popular among the Nordic youth. In particular TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube have very high portions of daily use among the youth population, while platforms such as X/Twitter, WhatsApp, Messenger and Facebook are much less popular.
Social media use under the platforms’ age limits is common. Despite many platforms having an age limit of 13 years, daily use among 9–12-year-olds is substantial. About a third of them use TikTok and Snapchat respectively daily. YouTube usage is very high in both age groups (a clear majority use it daily).
The possibility to report content is generally known but modestly used. About two out of three respondents are aware of the possibility to report rule breaking content, but less than one in five has done so. Awareness and experience reporting content is somewhat higher in the older age group, 13–15 years.