This was followed by a propaganda campaign from the same sources (along with the Brexit campaigners) pushing the idea into Finland (and every other European country) that the European Union was a terrible idea and should be broken up.
Then came another wave of propaganda pouring into Finland trashing the NATO alliance, a treaty that was originally designed to help Europe push back against potential Soviet aggression.
At that point, the Finnish government acted, putting together media literacy programs to teach in schools from top to bottom. As the Chief Communications Officer of the Finnish Prime Minister's office noted, "The first line of defence [against fake news] is the kindergarten teacher."
Finnish first-graders are "guided in finding information from different sources and communicating it" and considering "the fact that each text has its author and its purpose." They learn to spot hidden agendas.
By fifth grade, students learn to "analyze fiction, nonfiction and argumentation and recognize the difference between them," and by seventh grade this media literacy is integrated into coursework on "writing, rhetoric, and argumentation."
This, says Mikko Hartikainen with the Finnish National Agency for Education, is specifically designed to create "constructive interaction [as] a way to strengthen democratic participation and prevent hate speech and violent radicalism."
The Finns have embraced this anti-propaganda effort with gusto; even video games from for-profit publishers that are played by Finnish kids, and Finnish-made television dramas for adults have started incorporating anti-propaganda strategies and memes.
Recognizing propaganda is now a common theme on Finnish TV. Politicians speak proudly of their fellow Finns' ability to spot trolls, lies and logical fallacies.
Now other European countries are jumping on the bandwagon; the United Kingdom rolled out a similar program just 18 months ago.
America should copy this model.
Since Reagan's Secretary of Education gutted civics education in our public schools, two generations of Americans have grown up without understanding basic concepts like critical thinking skills, recognizing propaganda, and even knowing how a republic should work.
While having a populace "capable of reading" is important (don't tell Texas, with their 19% illiteracy rate), understanding what you're reading is critical.
This should move to the top of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona's agenda now. And what's left of America's "truthful" media must begin to teach media literacy by embedding such concepts in its reporting.
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