On Saturday, 29 August, a national referendum will be held on whether Iceland should resume accession negotiations with the European Union. In the run-up to the referendum, a large volume of information and material on the issue will reach the public, including through social media and other digital channels.

In such an information environment, it is important to pause and assess information before sharing it or relying on it when forming our views. In particular, we should bear in mind that content may be misleading, false, or deliberately presented with the aim of influencing people’s opinions and decisions. Artificial intelligence can also make it easier to create and distribute images, videos and other content that may be difficult to distinguish from genuine information.

The Data Protection Authority would also like to remind people that personal data can play an important role in this context. Information about us, such as our names, email addresses, telephone numbers, interests and online behaviour, may be used to target specific content at us and shape what we see on social media. It is therefore important to be aware of where information comes from, who is behind it, and how our personal data may be used.

The aim is not to tell people how they should vote, but to help ensure that everyone is able to form an independent and informed opinion based on reliable information.

For this reason, the above-mentioned organisations have compiled ten simple points to keep in mind in the run-up to the referendum. They are set out in the accompanying image and include reminders to consult more than one source, check the sources behind information, approach social media content critically, remain alert to AI-generated content, and consider how our personal data may be used.

Let us stay informed. Let us think critically. And let us remain mindful of the content we see and share in the run-up to the referendum.