"Due to its size and little population, Iceland might lack the critical mass needed for a good conspiracy and misinformation campaign,"
"We're a high-tech country, so everyone is internet-connected and uses social media. It leaves you a bit open."
"I am in some social media groups where wrong information is circulating, and it's not good for my mental health,"
"Icelanders are susceptible to everything floating around elsewhere,"
Iceland's small population, unique language, high affluence, and strong education levels historically limited the spread of misinformation within the country. Those factors reduced the development of large-scale conspiracy movements and kept misleading narratives rare. Increasing internet access, widespread social media use, and near-universal English fluency have opened channels for misinformation from abroad to enter Icelandic discourse. People report encountering wrong information in social media groups and experiencing mental-health effects from exposure. Researchers have examined conspiracy theories in Iceland, including COVID-19–related conspiracies. The nation's geographic and cultural isolation is weakening as a protective barrier.
Read at Poynter
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