Young people in Finland are following the news more actively than previously, according to the results of a study carried out by the Uutismedia news group.
The survey was conducted during December by Kantar Media on behalf of Uutismedia. Nearly 800 young people aged 13–18 responded to the poll.
Some 40 percent of respondents to the poll said they follow the news on a daily basis, a figure that is up by five percentage points from a similar survey in December 2024.
TikTok remains the primary source of news for the majority of teenagers, the survey found, with about half of respondents saying they use the Chinese-owned social media platform to follow news updates.
"It is important that young people encounter reliable journalistic content in their daily TikTok use. Through TikTok, news media can reach young audiences and make their own media and journalism more familiar to them," Hanna Romppainen, the group's media education specialist at the News Media Association, noted in a press release.
TikTok has been the number-one news channel for young people in Finland since 2023. The latest survey found that Instagram is now the second most popular news channel.
The All Points North podcast probes plans for Finland to introduce a similar ban on social media as in Australia. You can listen to the episode via this embedded player, on Yle Areena, via Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
Young people increasingly interested in local news
The poll also revealed the topics that young people are most interested in, with a growing interest in local news reports.
Teenagers are also interested in news topics related to their own lives, the survey found.
While interest in these topics has increased, young people have been turning away from major news events — both from Finland and abroad.
"When there is turmoil in the world, interest in topics related to one’s own life and home region clearly increases. Close-to-home and local topics can bring a sense of security in the midst of crisis reporting," Romppainen noted.
