Most recent

events

19.2.2026

Muut uutiset

16.3.2026

Blog: Nordic news media in 2025: Common values but national differences

The Nordic countries are often grouped together in global media research — high trust, strong public service broadcasting, and digitally advanced audiences. But a new research report by NORDICOM and the University of Gothenburg paints a picture of a region of contradictions and reveals some national differences.

19.2.2026

10.4. Pro‑Innovation Regulation of Artificial Intelligence in the EU, US and the UK

Welcome to a public lecture by Professor Guido Noto La Diega (University of Strathclyde) on Pro‑Innovation Regulation of Artificial Intelligence in the EU, US and the UK, taking place on 10 April from 13:00 to 15:00 at the University of Helsinki.

19.2.2026

Blog: Different but similar: challenges to information integrity

Drawing on 40 cases from diverse national contexts, this blog - co‑authored by students participating in a DECA-led course in January-February 2026 - reveals how structural pressures, stakeholder challenges, and everyday user behaviour together erode our ability to access, assess, and trust information.

19.11.2025

Blog: The power of tech companies must be contested – and more attention is needed to the system level

Who owns information, and who controls knowledge? At the Observatory on Information and Democracy’s latest dialogue, scholars and practitioners confronted the growing power of tech platforms and the urgent need for systemic change.

16.10.2025

20.10. Hybrid lecture: Can AI cross language barriers? Automated translation as a research tool

This lecture focuses on the potential uses of machine translation in different stages of research work, helps to understand its limitations, and provides recommendations for its responsible use. The lecture will be given by Maarit Koponen, researcher of DECA and Professor of Translation Studies.

16.10.2025

19.11. Webinar: Measuring News Diversity - Lessons learned

Join this webinar to hear what research- and practice-based evidence is already available on measuring news diversity. The event brings together insights from projects in Finland and Canada, creating a meeting ground for researchers, developers, and media professionals.

16.10.2025

24.10. Climate Reckoning: Dr. James Hansen & Clare Farrell on where we really stand

Organised by Operaatio Arktis — a new partner of the DECA — this free and open event brings together experts in climate science and activism. Mervi Pantti, director of the DECA, will open the seminar with remarks on the role of researchers in a burning world.

9.9.2025

Policy Brief: Media Literacy That Acknowledges Different Groups As a Pillar of National Information Resilience

This policy brief provides concrete steps to strengthen MIL as part of societal security and the promotion of democracy.

13.5.2025

DECA hosted two events on a new global study of our information environment

In March DECA hosted two events where Professor Robin Mansell presented a new global report by the Observatory on Information and Democracy (OID) that provides a meta-analysis of how information ecosystems function. Here you will find a summary of these events outlining the key findings of the report and aspects highlighted by professor Mansell.

Blog: Whatever it takes! How a European media platform could protect democracy.

Despite significant regulatory efforts, the EU has struggled to prevent foreign interference and propaganda. The solution? A decentralized platform for European news in all languages. In his blog, Matthias Pfeffer states that this is already technically possible but political will is needed to make this happen.

21.3.2025

Five things everyone should know about political polarisation

What are five things everyone should understand about polarisation? DECA researchers Ali Salloum and Arttu Malkamäki answer this question in a press release from Aalto University.

5.3.2025

27.3. Information ecosystem and troubled democracy: Global outlooks and lessons for Finland

The International Observatory on Information and Democracy (OID) published its first global “information climate” report, providing a critical assessment of the role of information ecosystems in the Global North and Global Majority World. In this one-day seminar, we have an opportunity to hear about the report's key insights from the editor, Professor Robin Mansell (London School of Economics, Professor Emerita) and after that, will hear from six scholars about their research and their reflections on the report.

17.1.2025

23.1. Generative AI, media literacy and ethics – Navigating authenticity in learning at Merkki museum and online

NORDIS Digital Information Literacy Forum aims to inspire educators, researchers, and policymakers to embrace the potential of AI while cultivating critical thinking and ethical awareness in the next generation of learners.

28.11.2024

Podcasts on Epistemic Challenges and Democratic Accountability in European Media

A two-part podcast series on the topics discussed at the Epistemic Challenges and Democratic Accountability in European Media Conference have now been published on DECA's SoundCloud page.

3.9.2024

Registration is open: Epistemic Challenges and Democratic Accountability in European Media conference, October 24-25

Registration is now open for the Epistemic Challenges and Democratic Accountability in European Media conference, taking place on 24-25 October 2024 at the University of Helsinki.

19.8.2024

Blog: Language and identity - Ukrainians dealing with choosing the language abroad

In her blog post Karina Adamusik explores the complexities of language choices for Ukrainians in Finland and elsewhere and how these decisions reflect their evolving sense of self and integration into Finnish society.

19.4.2024

Workshop: Exploring Epistemic Dimensions in Social Psychology and beyond, May 16

This engaging event, co-organised by the DECA project is part of the Social Psychology Days at University of Helsinki, and it's designed to illuminate the rich epistemic layers underlying various societal problems and research areas in social psychology.

11.4.2024

New book publication! The Future of the Nordic Media Model: A Digital Media Welfare State?

DECA’s Hannu Nieminen, Minna Horowitz, Reeta Pöyhtäri, Katja Lehtisaari, and Riku Neuvonen are among the writers of the new book entitled The Future of the Nordic Media Model: A Digital Media Welfare State? that delves into the intricacies of the Nordic media landscape.

4.4.2024

Blog: AI and Epistemic Rights

AI is everywhere and has been working quite successfully for a while. In this blog, Hannu Nieminen, Kirsi Hantula and Minna Horowitz discusses Ai development from the viewpoint of epistemic rights. They state that ensuring epistemic rights is only effective with sufficient AI literacy and, relatedly, people’s opportunities to decide what kind of AI they want.

6.3.2024

Epistemic Rights Webinar, Friday 5 April

In this webinar, we introduce selected key themes and approaches of a new, open-access book ‘Epistemic Rights in the Era of Digital Disruption (Palgrave MacMillan, IAMCR book series).

5.3.2024

DECA took part in organizing a joint course on Disinformation and Digital Information Literacy

The course offers tools and new perspectives on digital information literacy. In this article, that was originally published on the webpage of DECA's partner Faktabaari, three researchers give their less-discussed angles.

4.3.2024

The Extreme Public Sphere: Political and Regulatory Dilemmas - Guest lecture by Eugenia Siapera 26.3.

Our visiting professor Eugenia Siapera will hold a guest lecture titled “The Extreme Public Sphere: Political and Regulatory Dilemmas” as part of The New Research Culture lecture series organized by Helsinki Institute for Social Sciences and Humanities.

28.2.2024

Call for abstracts: Epistemic Challenges and Democratic Accountability in European Media

Epistemic Challenges and Democratic Accountability in European Media Conference takes place 24-25 October 2024 at the University of Helsinki. The deadline for submissions of abstracts is April 12, 2024.

12.2.2024

Blog: Epistemic Orders and the Crisis of Epistemic Institutions in Finland

Knowledge-producing epistemic institutions and authorities across Western countries have faced a mounting attack that aims to undermine citizens’ trust in them. Why is this happening now? In this blog Marko Ampuja of DECA reflects in the Finnish context the reasons why epistemic institutions have been subjected to increasing political contestation and external pressures on many fronts.

9.1.2024

Minna Horowitz discussing on how media is perceived nowadays in Finland in "Giaco Discovering Finland" podcast

The podcast episode focuses on trust in the media, fake news, and future prospects of the Finnish media, and it is freely available on Spotify.

14.12.2023

Epistemic Challenges and Democratic Accountability in European Media - International Conference in Helsinki on 24-25 October 2024

The two-day conference seeks to address the relations between knowledge production, technologies and inequalities in a datafied and polarised communication landscape.

7.12.2023

Epistemic Rights in the Era of Digital Disruption - book release in January!

This open-access volume argues that in a functioning democracy, citizens should be equally capable of making informed choices about matters of social importance. The volume is edited by Minna Horowitz, Hannu Nieminen, Katja Lehtisaari and Alessandro D’Arma.

4.12.2023

What Do Citizens Trust in the Nordics? Minna Horowitz of DECA presented findings on the Nordic audience survey at Nordic Democracy Day

Hanaholmen’s annual Nordic Democracy Day focused on the current challenges concerning freedom of expression and democracy. The presenters included the editors-in-chief of four large Nordic newspapers and the Chair of the Nordic think tank for tech and democracy. DECA’s representative Minna Horowitz reported on the Nordic audience survey, a study conducted together with the NORDIS media observatory and co-funded by the C.V. Åkerlund Media Foundation.

24.10.2023

Webinar: From value to contributions: Rethinking the societal role of public service media, 27 November

DECA co-organizes a webinar based on the edited volume, Public Service Media's Contribution to Society: RIPE@2021, together with IAPMR and Nordicom, 27 November. Registration is now opened.

24.10.2023

DECA participates Nordic Democracy Day 1.12.

DECA will participate Nordic Democracy Day that will be held December 1st at Hanaholmen. DECA's researcher Minna Horowitz will give a presentation on What do citizens trust in the Nordics? Facts from an ongoing NORDIS/DECA research-project.

7.9.2023

Platforms, media and public service conference

DECA research project and Tampere University Public Law are organizing a one-day conference. The theme is Platforms, media and public service. The speakers are Professor Andrew Kenyon, Matthias Kettemann, Henna Virkkunen and Hannu Nieminen. Register for the event by 3 October

1.9.2023

Report from the Migrant Rights X Finnish Immigration Policies event

A public forum to discuss the effects of the proposed immigration laws in the government programme on the rights of diverse migrant groups in Finland was organized August 25 at the Oodi Library in Helsinki. DECA's Minna Horowitz participated the event and prepared a summary report on it.

31.8.2023

Blog: What are TikTok’s values?

What are the values of TikTok? If TikTok doesn’t fit the ‘American values,’ where can it fit? With these questions in mind Yang Xu, a doctoral student in Social Sciences, looked into TikTok’s official discourses (policy documents, press releases, and user guides) over the years with the following research question: What values have TikTok articulated in its official discourses?

13.7.2023

How does propaganda appear in the present digital era?

In the new podcast episode DECA’s co-director professor Risto Kunelius discusses the history of and recent developments in the research of propaganda.

12.7.2023

New podcast series on epistemic rights

What are epistemic rights and why do we need them? DECA’s researchers discussing the theme in the new podcast series.

5.7.2023

A European Public Digital Platform?

ActNow!, a network to innovate for a pan-European, independent, and non-commercial platform met at the University of Vienna in June 2023 to discuss opportunities and future collaborations. While the global tech giants' impact is evident, there is an urgent need to envision alternatives to foster democracy, social cohesion, and citizenship.

5.7.2023

DECA at EuroDIG

DECA researchers contributed to the European Dialogue on Internet Governance EuroDIG organized in Tampere and online, 19-21 June 2023. The conference theme is “Internet in troubled times: risks, resilience, hope”.

25.5.2023

Great variety of DECA-themed podcasts on SoundCloud

DECA has a channel on SoundCloud that is filled with interesting podcasts on project's themes.

3.5.2023

Videos on digital information literacy

In collaboration with DECA and EDMO Nordis -consortium Faktabaari has produced two videos on digital information literacy.

10.5.2023

DECA took part in designing a course on disinformation and digital information literacy

A Bachelor-level course on Disinformation and Digital Information Literacy (DIL) has been piloted at the University of Helsinki during the Spring semester 2023. DECA’s Minna Aslama is one of the designers and teachers of the course.

19.4.2023

Think tank recommendations: The Nordic countries must defend digital democracy

The the Nordic countries should be at the forefront of demanding and implementing democratic and transparent principles regarding how tech giants can influence societies and democracies – both in the Nordics, Europe, and globally.

10.4. Pro‑Innovation Regulation of Artificial Intelligence in the EU, US and the UK

You are warmly invited to a Public Lecture by Professor Guido Noto La Diega (University of Strathclyde) on Pro‑Innovation Regulation of Artificial Intelligence in the EU, US and the UK, taking place on 10 April from 13:00 to 15:00 at the University of Helsinki, Main Building, room F3017. The lecture will be followed by comments from Professor Anette Alén (University of Helsinki).

About the lecture

Some statements have become widespread and rarely questioned: "regulation stifles innovation", "China and the US are technology leaders thanks to the absence of regulation", "The EU is lagging behind because there is too much regulation". This talk will question these statements, inquire as to their ideological foundations, and shed light on how they are influencing the global approach to the regulation of AI.

Presenter

Professor Guido Noto La Diega is an award‑winning scholar of law and emerging technologies. He leads the Socially Progressive AI Lab and the LLM/MSc in Law, Technology and Innovation at the University of Strathclyde, and is currently a Visiting Professor at the Helsinki Institute for Social Sciences and Humanities (HSSH). Noto La Diega’s research spans European, Italian and UK legal frameworks governing the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, cloud computing, robotics, blockchain and fashion, with a particular focus on intellectual property, consumer protection, data governance, contracts and liability. His work is guided by a commitment to ensuring that law steers technological innovation toward socially just, inclusive and sustainable outcomes.

Organizers

The event is organized by DECA in collaboration with From Conflicts to Culturing (KitKas) research project.

The KitKas project examines pluralism as a power‑related concept within cultural industries, focusing on evolving frameworks for creative work and the multiplicities of copyright. Its aim is to foster constructive public debate and support encounters between conflicting values while contributing to growth and competitiveness in the cultural field.

The DECA project investigates how individuals, communities and institutions navigate today’s complex information environment. It seeks to strengthen society’s epistemic and democratic capacities by examining practices of knowledge use, highlighting epistemic inequalities and amplifying the voices of marginalized groups.

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