Small Societies, Strong Democracies: Resilience in the Face of Disinformation

In small, tight-knit societies like Iceland, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands, trust between people and in institutions generally runs high. But factors such as social cohesion and few local independent media outlets can, in turn, make these societies more vulnerable to the spread of disinformation. In places where most people know each other, or share common contacts, fake news can spread faster. And with a limited number of media outlets, with fewer fact-checking resources, these communities face increased risks from external influence campaigns that can undermine democratic processes and fuel polarization.  

This session explores the impact of disinformation on politics, public discourse, and democracy in the West Nordics and the broader Arctic. Hear from experts - researchers, journalists, and policymakers - who will discuss the challenges and share strategies to navigate and deal with the growing threat of disinformation. 

Opening words by Nivi Olsen, Minister for Education, Culture, Sports and Church, Government of Greenland  

Panel discussion: 

• Carl Heath, Senior Researcher at RISE Research Institutes of Sweden
• Signe Ravn-Højgaard, Ph.d and director of the Digital Infrastructure Think Tank
• Masaana Egede, Managing Director of the Greenlandic Media House Sermitsiaq
• Ása Berglind Hjálmarsdóttir, MP and member of the Icelandic Delegation to the West Nordic Council
• Jón Gunnar Ólafsson, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Political Science at the University of Iceland  

Moderator: Skúli Bragi Geirdal, Head of the Icelandic Safer Internet Center