Professor Riku Neuvonen connects legal norms to people’s reality

Multidisciplinary cooperation is supported by the fact that legislation and its application do not occur in a societal vacuum. For example, freedom of speech is connected to analogous phenomena, such as self-expression, freedom of opinion and cultural thriving. According to Professor Riku Neuvonen, research can thus not just focus on legislation. 

“Research provides tools to understand phenomena. I often engage in multi- and interdisciplinary research because that enables us to obtain empirical knowledge on the impact of legal norms and the reality in which the norms operate. This also allows us to understand the technologies people are using for communication,” Neuvonen explains. 

Currently, Neuvonen is very interested in issues related to internet platforms from the perspectives of openness, regulation and the rule of law. A legal scholar specialising in media law, Neuvonen focuses on changing media, the use of communication, and ultimately regulation in legal studies, which is an area where the most significant decisions are made at the European Union level. For example, the regulation of digital services impacts the operations of platform giants. As a member state of the European Union, Finland is implementing the European Media Freedom Act, which aims to strengthen the position of independent media.

“Legal studies examine what, for instance, freedom of speech means when certain types of regulation are desired. Research also involves the dimension of possibilities, i.e., how norms can be drafted and regulation implemented,” Neuvonen says.

Neuvonen’s professorship is in the field of public law, which is one of the specialisations in administrative sciences at Tampere University.  It combines legal expertise with other aspects of public administration and thus with other disciplines. The core elements of the field are norms and societal reality.

Freedom of speech offers many means of expression, but the message gets lost

Around the 250th anniversary of the Freedom of the Press Act and the centenary of independent Finland, Neuvonen published a peer-reviewed book titled The History of Freedom of Speech in Finland (Gaudeamus 2018).

In freedom of speech, Neuvonen distinguishes between both the historical and ideological layer and the regulation of human and fundamental rights. He reminds us of the operations of large digital services, which have emphasised especially freedom of speech. At the same time, we constantly face challenges in how information is shaped and its availability influenced by algorithms and moderation. Where can we find relevant information amidst the flood of data?

“That could be called the paradox of freedom of speech. When we consider expression and access to information, freedom of speech is theoretically better than it has ever been. Practically anyone can get their message read by millions of people in an instant, but, on the other hand, information gets lost in the avalanche of messages. Various gatekeepers are also constantly emerging, and information is regulated by new entities instead of public authorities and legacy media,” Neuvonen says.

“The change also involves the way freedom of speech is used. The nature of discussion is changing from what we have been accustomed to as freedom of expression is linked to identity struggles. We are also witnessing drives against scientific knowledge and journalistic methods,” he continues.

Free speech and access to information are a central legacy of the Freedom of the Press Act of 1766. At the time, the most radical aspect of the Act was that administrative documents became public. Until then, disseminating information on the exercise of power was prohibited.

The book earned Neuvonen the Helsingin Sanomat Foundation’s Science in Finnish Award and brought him to public discussions. When considering the public funding of universities, the professor views societal impact as a self-evident part of research.

“Acting in a public role – as a discussant and issuing statements for law-drafting – comes with the territory,” Neuvonen says.

How are cultural rights realised under the pressure for cuts?

Neuvonen defended his doctoral dissertation at the University of Helsinki on the regulation of freedom of speech in Finland. While studying he noticed how little the topic was addressed in traditional legal studies. He became acquainted with the research conducted by Kaarle Nordenstreng and Ari Heinonen at the University of Tampere. This provided the material he needed as a budding legal scholar. Another significant community was the Network of Public Sphere Researchers.

In addition to media law, Neuvonen’s research profile includes constitutional law. His starting point is the fundamental rights theory where he examines what happens when fundamental rights collide or are in concurrence. Does one fundamental right override another or do they complement each other?

Professor Neuvonen leads the Ponte research project funded by the Kone Foundation, which examines environments, cultural experiences and creators that fall outside the scope of official cultural policy and cultural rights. 

“In Finland, we do not really talk much about cultural rights. When economic cuts are being discussed instead of culture, it affects cultural policy profoundly. What kind of culture gets a share of society’s dwindling resources and under what conditions, and what is excluded from public support?” Neuvonen and his research group are asking.

Once again, this is a typical multidisciplinary project for Neuvonen as it involves culture researchers and considers artistic freedom and the right to develop oneself in relation to practical cultural opportunities. The case studies include, among other things, villages in an archipelago.

Neuvonen also represents a similar fundamental rights theme in the Strategic Research Council's (SRC) Deca research consortium, which focuses on epistemic rights.  Epistemic capability refers to citizens’ rights to receive reliable information, be heard, and participate in the production of societal information. 

Threat of a defamation conviction can be used to silence discussion

Neuvonen leads the Helsingin Sanomat Foundation-funded project Freedom of Speech and Defamation in Finland 2014–2024, which is reviewing all defamation convictions in Finland over a period of ten years. In 2014, a change in the Criminal Code came into force; because of the European Court of Human Rights’ rulings, the Finnish Code was amended regarding the assessment of defamation.

The freedom of speech Neuvonen is familiar with relates to honour in the sense that we are now talking about so-called SLAPP cases (strategic lawsuits against public participation) in the context of defamation. 

“We are interested in studying how often defamation cases target journalists or other public debate participants who are being silenced under the threat of defamation,” Neuvonen explains.

“It has also been suggested that punishments for defamation vary across different parts of Finland. We will assess this claim by forming an empirical dataset from the cases,” he says.

Public law combines legal provisions with administrative expertise

The traditional area of legal studies, and thus public law, includes legal data and legislation, in other words what the legislation stipulates, how the courts operate according to it and which principles and to some extent also legal ideologies and practices underlie it.

Public law, on the other hand, is a specialisation in the Degree Programme in Administrative Sciences at Tampere University. An administrative scientist can work in many legal field positions because a master’s degree is sufficient for such roles, and a law degree is not required. 

“Unless we are talking about lawyers and judges, practical skills and work experience matter more than job titles in this field. Our graduating administrative scientists have a basic legal education and strong multidisciplinary administrative expertise. In addition to the public sector, administrative scientists find employment in NGOs and businesses,” Professor Neuvonen encourages students.