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Self-regulation of the media

  1. Self-regulation 
  2. Council for Mass Media
  3. Watershed timings for TV programming
  4. Self-regulation of telephone services
  5. Self-regulation on the Internet  

1. Self-regulation

Media regulation in Finland is performed in accordance with the Western principle of freedom of speech. Legislation is used only to set the outer limits of the freedom of speech. The responsibility for supervising media content rests with the mass media itself. Self-regulation reinforces the independence of the mass media and emphasises freedom of speech and freedom of publication.

Self-regulation refers to the voluntary cooperation of businesses in the sector aimed at preventing harmful and unlawful activity. Supervision of this self-regulation is also carried out by the sector itself and is based on the various contracts and standards of those involved. The authorities only intervene in criminal cases.

Alongside self-regulation, it is necessary to provide security through legislation in order to ensure trust and confidence. Legislation provides the basic level of security that affords protection in the event of criminal cases and situations that are contractually or financially problematic. Self-regulation is also appropriate for newly developing markets before any legislation in the sector is introduced.

The Act on the Exercise of Freedom of Expression in Mass Media, which took effect at the start of 2004, applies to publishing and programme production. Communication via information networks forms part of this and is, therefore, subject to the legislation on the mass media. The new act repealed the previous Freedom of the Press Act and Radio Broadcasting Responsibility Act.

While the new act lays down a number of special requirements for regular publishing and programme production, the home pages of private individuals are subject only to the act’s provisions on ensuring that, where necessary, responsibility is borne for any crime or damage.

2. Council for Mass Media

The Council for Mass Media in Finland has been set up by publishers and journalists to act as a self-regulatory body for mass media content. Its function is to interpret good journalistic practice, and its decisions are based on journalistic guidelines, which cover all journalistic work in the press, television, radio and on the Internet, giving equal treatment to each of these media.

3. Watershed timings for TV programming

YLE and the largest commercial TV companies, MTV3 and Nelonen, have together agreed on taking suitability for children into account in all of their programming content.

To do this, they employ self-regulatory means, such as viewer warnings and watershed timings. This means that programmes unsuitable for persons younger than 18 years of age are not broadcast before 11.00 pm, those unsuitable for children younger than 15 are not shown before 9.00 pm, those unsuitable for children younger than 13 are not shown before 7.00 pm and those unsuitable for children younger than 11 are not shown on weekdays before 5.00 pm.

These age limits and the related nature of the material are published in the programming information and are announced before and during the start of the programme as well as in advance advertising. 
 

Further information

Ministerial adviser Jussi Mäkinen, tel. +358 9 160 28498, firstname.lastname@lvm.fi

 

4. Self-regulation of telephone services

The content and operation of telephone services are supervised by the Telephone Services Ombudsman and MAPEL, a commercial phone services ethics committee set up by telephone service providers and teleoperators. MAPEL’s work is based on the telephone service standards drawn up by the sector itself.

Further information

Ministerial adviser Jussi Mäkinen, tel. +358 9 160 28498, firstname.lastname@lvm.fi

  

5. Self-regulation on the Internet

In Finland, monitoring of harmful Internet content is currently undertaken by the following bodies, each within its own sphere of operation: MAPEL, the Council for Mass Media in Finland, the Finnish Information Processing Association’s Ethics Advisory Committee, the Council on Ethics in Advertising, the Consumer Agency and the Consumer Ombudsman.

Finnish operators have together published a set of “ netiquette” guidelines addressed to parents, for example, explaining how to act in the case of material that is unlawful or harmful to children. At the European level, cooperation is conducted, for example, through a number of different programmes, such as the Safer Internet Action Plan.

Guidelines for social media


In Finland, major service providers in social media have committed to promoting safe use of online services, especially for children and young people.

Service providers are committed to offering age-appropriate services and ensuring users’ compliance with age recommendations. In conformity with the guidelines, service providers also offer easily understandable information on the safe and appropriate use of their online services.

The guidelines for social media were prepared by a working group operating under the Media Forum for Children and Young People, which is subordinate to the Ubiquitous Information Society Advisory Board. MAPEL, a commercial phone services ethics committee set up by telephone service providers and teleoperators, monitors compliance with the guidelines for social media and the service providers committed to these guidelines.

Further information

Legislative Counsellor Kirsi Miettinen, tel. +358 9 160 28570, firstname.lastname@lvm.fi

  
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