New website for research on freedom of expression

June 23 2017

This week Fritt Ord is relaunching its website at ytringsfrihet.no. The website features all the major freedom of expression surveys carried out by Fritt Ord, as well as information about events and news items related to new research in this field.

The Foundation is interested in surveying the position of freedom of expression in different areas of society. The formidable research project entitled ‘The status of freedom of expression in Norway’, also known as the Fritt Ord Foundation Monitoring Project, commenced in 2013 and explored the topic in two phases, from 2013 to 2014 and from 2015 to 2017.

The project was carried out by the Institute for Social Research, along with Fafo, TNS Gallup and the Department of Media and Communication at the University of Oslo as partners. The website ytringsfrihet.no is a repository for all research reports and articles related to the project.

The website also hosts other surveys of freedom of expression supported by Fritt Ord, including The Freedom of Expression Barometer, conducted in 2013 by TNS Gallup and commissioned by Fritt Ord and UNESCO’s Norwegian expert group for freedom of expression.

About the Status of Freedom of Expression in Norway

One of the key findings from the Status of Freedom of Expression in Norway’s first project period in 2013-2014, was that the general public draws up normative boundaries for the exercise of freedom of expression, and that many are of the opinion that freedom of expression must be balanced against other considerations, e.g. to avoid hurting or insulting others or to avoid appearing racist. Intentions and attitudes to such self-limitation turned out to vary by gender, age, political point of view, etc. The project resulted in a final general report and in several sub-reports.

The Status of Free Speech in the Public Sphere in Norway 2015-2017 is a continuation of the broad-based study conducted in 2013-2014. In the second term of this project, researchers delved more deeply into the processes by which limits are set for what can and cannot be said in the public sphere in Norway. This project period culminated in the book Boundary Struggles: Contestations of Free Speech in the Norwegian Public Sphere (Cappelen Damm Academic, 2017), which is freely available and can be read here.

News

The Fritt Ord Foundation Prize for 2025 goes to satirical artists May Linn Clement, Marvin Halleraker and Morten Mørland

April 29 2025

The Fritt Ord Foundation Prize for 2025 is awarded to three representatives of Norwegian satirical art for challenging public opinion by standing up to power and for their biting humour: May Linn Clement, Marvin Halleraker and Morten Mørland.

In times of darkness, satire assumes a more important role

May 20 2025

“In times of darkness, when more is at stake, satire has a more important role to play,” said Marvin Halleraker as he accepted the Fritt Ord Prize for 2025, together with May Linn Clemet and Morten Mørland.

Fritt Ord's grants for master’s degrees

May 11 2025

Is your master’s project about freedom of expression, social debate or journalism? If so, you can apply for a student grant from the Fritt Ord Foundation.

Call for nominations: Free Media Awards 2025

March 14 2025

In collaboration with the ZEIT STIFTUNG BUCERIUS of Hamburg, the Fritt Ord Foundation has allocated the Free Media Awards annually since 2004 to Eastern European journalists and media that defy every obstacle to tirelessly ensure independent press coverage. Russia’s war against Ukraine and the subsequent wave of disinformation clearly demonstrates the need for independent reporting in the region. Journalist, editorial teams and media companies in and from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Russia, Ukraine and Hungary who make a contribution to press freedom through their investigative, independent reporting can be nominated for the Free Media Awards.