Director General Janne Viskari: “Digital Finland is governed by legislation from the paper era”

How can Finland benefit from deepening digitalisation? The Digihumaus report published today by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency discusses the significance of future trends and the opportunities they provide for a digital Finland.

“In these times of global unrest, the Finnish public administration must act in a stable and predictable manner that promotes trust. We have to understand how change forces intersect with and accelerate each other in a globally connected world,” says Janne Viskari, Director General of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency.

Uncertainty and unpredictability challenge the development of Finland and digitalisation

Digitalisation is deepening in a technologically advanced society. Automation, artificial intelligence and data mobility are widely utilized. Rapidly developing technology and a changing security environment are driving digital development.

“Digitalisation is already an established operating method in public administration and a way of producing services with increasingly smaller resources. One of the biggest obstacles to digitalisation is the fact that a digital Finland is governed by legislation from the paper era,” says Janne Viskari.

Existing administrative procedure and statutes related to digital services are limiting the utilisation of automation. Investments in digitalisation and new technologies are also needed in Finland and throughout Europe.

“Removing regulations that restrict the use of digitalisation would significantly improve the possibilities for authorities to provide services that are widely beneficial to citizens,” says Janne Viskari.

How can we maintain trust in the authorities?

Maintaining trust requires continuous efforts as well as anticipation and management of risks from all actors in society.

“Individuals are increasingly expected to have the ability to identify reliable information. I believe that a rational, predictable and responsible administration creates stability and increases trust,” says Janne Viskari.

It is important to emphasise the principle of legality rather than arbitrary decision-making in Finnish administration. In the future, the cornerstone of trust in society will continue to be a responsible and digitally functioning public administration that produces equal and consistent administrative decisions for citizens.

“A highly automated public administration must be understandable to citizens. This will be possible when the legal basis for public administration has been written clearly and with a focus on digital activities. Change trends in trust and digitalisation are very closely linked to each other,” says Janne Viskari.

Digihumaus report 2026: Digitalisation in a new era

The Digihumaus report published today contains the Digital and Population Data Services Agency’s views on change trends that are shaping the world:

• digitalisation is deepening
• the atmosphere of trust is eroding
• emphasis on securioty
• democracy under test

The report will be showcased on Friday 27 March 2026 from 9:00 to 12:00 at the Digihumaus event, which is being organised by the Digital and Population Data Services Agency. The event is open to all as an online broadcast. The event will feature keynotes on current topics by Janne Viskari, Director General of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency, Hiski Haukkala, Director of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, brain researcher Katri Saarikivi and journalist-author Heikki Valkama.

Further information:
Communications Department of the Digital and Population Data Services Agency
tel. +358 295 535 060
[email protected]

Learn more about the Digihumaus report on the dvv.fi website

Digihumaus event 27 March 2026 – Digitalisation in a new era (in Finnish)