The Nordic Media Literacy Survey reveals a variety of aspects when it comes to media literacy in the Icelandic population. The survey also highlights certain cultural phenomena regarding Icelanders as media users compared to Nordic fellow-countrymen. Some have consistently been prevalent for decades, while others have emerged with new technology and media platforms. Consumption of news via radio has been high in Iceland throughout the years but print media in general (newspapers) has been on the decline for some time now. Another cultural aspect in Iceland is the tendency to not pay for news subscriptions. This evidently makes it difficult for news outlets to thrive in a sustainable way.
As demonstrated in the results of the survey, online news media is prominent within the Icelandic media landscape. Social media has also gained a strong foothold as Facebook usage among Icelanders is high, and its direct messaging app, Messenger, is Icelanders’ number one platform for communication. Despite the prominence of online news and social media across demographics in Iceland, there are indicators that suggest media literacy among the public is insufficient.
The survey indicates a need to increase knowledge and improve understanding of the Icelandic media landscape amongst the general public. A relatively high number of participants answered “I don’t know” when asked about: Editors-in-chief, public service mandates, and main funding of major media/media companies. Having sufficient understanding of the media environment is crucial for active participation in a healthy democracy, and clearly more emphasis needs to be placed on educating the public about the complexities of the Icelandic media landscape.
Young people increasingly rely on social media rather than traditional news outlets to stay updated about the news. However, it is unclear whether young audiences engage with traditional news media when using social media platforms or consume content from less credible sources. Either way, this highlights the need to continue elevating the presence and perceived value of traditional media outlets, both on social media platforms and beyond, for this age group. Furthermore, this development underscores the importance of media literacy education to enhance young people's ability to navigate and use social media as a news platform in a responsible way.
There are indications in the survey’s results that Icelandic children, aged 9 to 15, face challenges in other related factors, such as lack of knowledge on how to protect online safety and privacy and limited understanding of online search results. Media literacy is already written into the national curriculum for this age group, but it must be further addressed within the educational system by providing educators with necessary tools and learning materials to follow through and reach the goals laid out in the curriculum.
Additionally, education from community educators, such as the programmes carried out by the Icelandic Media Commission, must receive sufficient support to continue and further their reach.
In line with prior research carried out by the Icelandic Media Commission, this survey demonstrates a potential room for improvement among Icelanders aged 65 and over on various media literacy indicators, such as understanding online search results, reacting to and identifying false information, and initiating action to protect their safety and privacy online. Despite this, respondents in this age group are avid social media users as 85 percent claim to use Facebook daily. While awareness of the importance of improved children’s media literacy has increased recently, similar emphasis may not yet be evident for older Icelanders across the country. Led by the Icelandic Media Commission and with support from the government, NGOs, stakeholders and other entities could take part in meeting the needs of this age group and raise awareness of the issue. Action is necessary to ensure our seniors’ competence and safety online, for their own benefit and for society as a whole.
On a final note, momentum is gathering. The Icelandic Safer Internet Center has been relaunched with its main goal of increasing media literacy and online safety for Icelanders, but also to support the vital implementation of the Digital Services Act going forward. Additionally, the aim is to increase awareness and rally politicians, civil society, and the general public around the issue, while also supporting the education system reaching its goals by educating teachers, parents and children. Continued support is necessary for carrying out these objectives but also to continue research on the issue, both domestically and in collaboration with other nations.