Democracy

Democracy is a system in which power is derived from the people and citizens are able to influence decisions through free and fair elections. In Sweden, as in many other countries, democracy is a cornerstone of society. But, what does that actually mean, and how can a strong democracy protect us from malign information influence?

Sweden is a democracy. In the Swedish constitution, it is stated that all public power in Sweden is derived from the people. This means that the people decide which parties and politicians are to govern the country on their behalf. The opposite of democracy is dictatorship. In a dictatorship, a sole party or a sole person decides.

In a democracy, citizens have the right to express their opinions, participate in debates and influence political decisions. This is achieved through elections, but also through other forms of engagement, such as participating in demonstrations or submitting opinion pieces. A strong democracy encourages citizens to be active and informed, which is crucial to counteracting malign information influence.

Important protection against malign information influence

A strong democracy has numerous protection mechanisms that help us to resist malign information influence.

Education and training

Educating citizens in source criticism and media and information literacy reinforces their ability to identify and question misleading information. Schools and universities have an important role to play in this respect, although the media and civil society can also contribute by boosting knowledge and awareness.

Free and independent media

A plethora of free and independent media is crucial to a functioning democracy. They scrutinise those in power, report objectively and provide citizens with access to accurate information.

Transparency and responsibility

Democracy requires transparency. When governments and authorities are transparent about their decisions and actions, and when political actors are held accountable for their deeds, the risk of foreign powers exploiting the system to spread misleading information is diminished.

Democracy is worth protecting – every day

Democracy does not survive on its own – we have to nurture it. For example, it is important that people exercise their right to vote, form an opinion on societal issues and assimilate news and civic information, so that democracy can continue to thrive and develop.