Free media, source criticism, fake news, privacy, and safe use of the internet and digital services.
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Free media and freedom of expression
In Norway the press is free. The state does not decide what newspapers, radio and TV report. Journalists can criticise the government, politicians and big companies. This is an important part of democracy. The media should tell people what is happening, scrutinise those in power and be a place for debate.
Norway is often number one in the world for press freedom. In 2026 the country came first on the Reporters Without Borders ranking for the tenth year in a row.
Freedom of expression is set out in the Constitution. You can say and write what you think, including about politics and religion. But the freedom has limits. These statements are not allowed:
threats of violence
hate speech against a group because of, for example, skin colour, religion, sex or sexual orientation
spreading lies that harm others, for example false accusations of crime
There is a difference between criticising opinions and threatening or harassing people. You can say that you disagree with a religion or a party. You cannot threaten people who believe or vote differently.
The media also have ethical rules. The Code of Ethics of the Norwegian Press (Vær Varsom-plakaten) is the press's own set of rules for good press practice. If you think a newspaper has broken the rules, you can complain to the Norwegian Press Complaints Commission (PFU). Among other things, the code says that the newsroom must be critical of its sources and let the person who is criticised respond.
The full module and all questions are in the app.
Key points
Free media and freedom of expression
In Norway the press is free and not controlled by the state
Norway was first on the press freedom index in 2026, for the tenth year in a row
Freedom of expression has limits: threats and hate speech are forbidden
The Code of Ethics of the Norwegian Press (Vær Varsom-plakaten) is the press's own ethical rules
You can complain to the Press Complaints Commission (PFU) if a newspaper breaks the rules
The media landscape in Norway
NRK is the public broadcaster and has no advertising; it has been funded through the state budget since 2020
TV 2 is a commercial TV channel
News, commentary, letters to the editor and adverts are different types of content
Adverts must be clearly labelled
On social media, algorithms decide what you see
Source criticism
Source criticism: consider who is behind it, why, when, and what other sources say
Check several independent sources
Public websites are normally good sources of facts about rules and services
A primary source is the original; a secondary source tells you about it
Be careful with clickbait, pictures with no source and offers that seem too good to be true
Fake news and influence
Misinformation is wrong information shared unknowingly; disinformation is deliberately false
Pictures, video and audio can be manipulated or made with AI (deepfakes)
Faktisk.no checks whether claims are true
Stop and think before you share anything
Algorithms can create filter bubbles where you only see what you already like
Social media and online conduct
What you post online can stay there and spread
The age limit on many platforms is 13; a stricter law is planned but not adopted as of November 2026
Threats and cyberbullying can be punishable
Take screenshots, block and report, and report serious cases to the police
Do not send money or personal details to people you do not know
Privacy and sharing pictures
Privacy: the right to a private life and control over your own personal data
Datatilsynet makes sure the privacy rules are followed
Ask for consent before sharing pictures of others, especially children
Sharing offensive pictures of someone without consent is a criminal offence
Copyright: whoever creates a work decides how it can be used
Digital security and fraud
Never share BankID, passwords or one-time codes with anyone, not even the bank or the police
Phishing is fake emails or texts with links to fake pages
Do not rush: fraudsters put you under pressure; hang up and call the real number yourself
Use strong, different passwords and two-factor login
If you are scammed: contact your bank at once and report it to the police
Public digital services
BankID and MinID are used for login through ID-porten
Helsenorge.no gives access to your own health information and your GP
Altinn and Digipost are used for forms and mail from the public sector
Check your digital mailbox regularly so you do not miss deadlines
You can get help from the municipality, the library or NAV
Thinking critically in everyday life
Facts can be checked; opinions cannot be proven true or false
One story does not show what everyone is like, so beware of generalisation
Two things happening at once does not mean one causes the other
Ask who made the statistics and who gains from the message
Explanation: Scammers pretend to be authorities. This is called phishing. Log in only through the website you open yourself, never through a link in a text message.