📰Media and information

How the media works in Sweden, why press freedom is protected, and how to judge whether information is accurate.

The most important things to know

• Freedom of the press is protected by the Freedom of the Press Act (tryckfrihetsförordningen), one of Sweden's fundamental laws. It dates from 1766 and is one of the oldest in the world.
• Public service broadcasters — SVT, Sveriges Radio and UR — are meant to be independent of the state and of commercial interests.
• Freedom to communicate information (meddelarfrihet) means that employees in public sector activities may give information to the media.
• Source criticism (källkritik) means examining where a piece of information comes from, who is saying it, and why.
• Disinformation is false information spread deliberately to influence people.

Key terms

Source criticism (källkritik)

Testing whether a piece of information is credible and where it comes from.

Public service

Radio and TV in the public interest, independent of the state.

Freedom of the press

The right to print and distribute writings without prior censorship.

Disinformation

False information spread with the intent to mislead.