Heard a librarian say Finland bans political ads on buses and trains

I was at a coffee shop last week and overheard a librarian telling someone Finland straight up doesn't allow political ads on public transit. She said they treat buses and trains like shared quiet spaces, not campaign billboards. I thought about it and man, that would stop a lot of the shouting we get here on our city buses. Has anyone else seen a ban like that work to calm down public spaces?

2 comments

2 Comments

taylor_fox5d ago

Libraries on wheels" - that line got me. Honestly I used to think ads on buses were just background noise, no big deal. But yeah after a 12 hour shift the last thing I need is some politician's face yelling about taxes in my face. Saw a city council candidate's ad on the 7 bus that just listed complaints for the whole ride. Made me feel worse not better. Wish more places would try the Finland approach.

ericfox5d ago

Last year I was all for slapping campaign signs on everything, figured it was free speech and people could just tune it out. Then I rode the 22 bus home after a long shift and some local candidate's ad was screaming about housing policy right in my face for 45 minutes. Changed my mind completely. If Finland can keep buses calm by treating them like libraries on wheels, I'm honestly jealous. Our city council spends thousands on those ads and it just makes every ride feel like a shouting match nobody asked for.