What exactly is misinformation, disinformation and fake news?
PEN America's nationwide survey of more than 1,000 reports and editors on how disinformation is disrupting the practice of journalism
Professional journalists, editors, and news organizations that provide credible reporting and promote informed civic engagement stand as a bulwark against the onslaught of disinformation being injected into public discourse. According to PEN America's nationwide survey one of key findings is that virtually all the journalists responding consider disinformation a serious problem for journalism today, but 81 percent say it's a very serious problem. On the other hand, while 89 percent of the journalists expressed at least some confidence in their own ability to detect disinformation as they worked, 11 percent acknowledged they had unwittingly reported disinformation themselves. More information can be found on: https://pen.org/report/hard-news-journalists-and-the-threat-of-disinformation/
HOW MANY JOURNALISTS HAVE THE CONFIDENCE TO DETECT DISINFORMATION?
89% of the journalists expressed at least some confidence in their own ability
11% acknowledged they had unwittingly reported disinformation themselves
IS DISINFORMATION CONSIDERED AS A SERIOUS PROBLEM?
81% of journalists say it is a serious problem
19% of journalists say that it is not a serious problem
Infographics created by Marko Vulevic
Kristy Roschke: Disinformation creates a population that doesn't believe in anything
Disinformation is all around us. Journalists, politicians and citizens must work hard in order to fight fake news and spreading propaganda. We talked about what disinformation is, what challenges democratic societies are facing and what we all can do in order to fight it, with Dr Kristy Roschke, media literacy educator and scholar at the ASU's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
Video edited by Katarina Vojnovic
Voice overs by Katarina Vojnovic
Camera by Danica Popovic and Katarina Vojnovic
Voice overs by Katarina Vojnovic
Camera by Danica Popovic and Katarina Vojnovic
Stefan Janjic: Lies are faster and more interesting than truth
Disinformation is false or inaccurate information intended to deceive. This kind of information are incorrect and misleading. In democratic institutions, fake news and disinformation are particularly problematic, and there is rising discussion about how to handle these problems without damaging the advantages of digital media. To increase public trust and dispel false information without legitimizing it, the news sector must produce high-caliber journalism.
Stefan Janjic, “FakeNews Tragač” editor from Serbia, says that in this country there are several newsrooms that deal with checking and analyzing information and disinformation. The first newsroom of this type was "Istinomer" (“Truth-scale”). This form of analyzing information published in the media began with the analysis of politicians' statements, and then "FakeNews Tragač" (FakeNews Tracker) and "Rasrikavanje" were founded as part of the “Krik” editorial office.
Social networks of lies
More than at any other time in human history, new digital platforms have unleashed creative journalism practices, enabling unique forms of communication and a wider global audience. On the other hand, the spread of false information, also known as "fake news", is accelerating and changing how people see daily events.
Over the years, the landscape of the news media has undergone significant transformation. The reach of journalism, social media, and public involvement have all significantly expanded thanks to digital sources.
“The connection between social networks and false information is a significant issue. The social network “Facebook” is the most suitable environment for the creation of disinformation and a breeding ground for disinformation. Facebook loses users when it removes certain users, groups or pages that continuously spread misinformation. By removing such groups of users and pages, it loses profit”, says Janjic.
He continues by saying that Facebook users are particularly vulnerable because they are only exposed to other individuals who share their interests. Additionally, that audience finds it extremely hard to access any other information or viewpoint, making it difficult for them to reach the facts and the truth of a subject.
“Now there are several newsrooms in our speaking area that have cooperation with Facebook, which means that their disinformation analysis has the greatest reach. If they recognize misinformation on social networks or on the pages of some media on Facebook, it can be marked as fake. As a result, that information has less visibility and reaches fewer people”, explains Janjic.
Fake news factories
The word "fake news" has evolved to mean various things to various people. "Fake news" are, in general, defined as media articles which are false, meaning they lack verified information, sources or quotes. These articles may occasionally contain propaganda that is intended to deceive the reader or be made as "clickbait" in order to gain profit.
“The role of traditional media and the press is still extremely high in Serbia. No matter how many small dailies go out of business, in Serbia we have a huge market of printed media that not only have their printed copies but also very influential websites”, says Janjic and adds that the main problem is that misinformation often does not remain within the borders of a country. He explains that, soon after some disinformation is published is being taken over and spread by other countries of the Balkans. “This is how the “misinformation market” and the so-called “fake news factory” is created”, concludes Janjic.
“There are websites that are purposefully created to publish disinformation and fake news that they are sure people will read because of the sensational headlines. The “Šta ima novo” ("What's new") website has "buried" over 40 public figures who are still alive in the past few years”, explains Janjic.
These online editions generate certain income based on the ads they publish on the site, but also from the citizens who make them a profit by opening and reading those news. With the system of clicks, sites like this earn monthly earnings of several thousand euros, which is enough for our conditions to continue to exist.
"The audience likes such content and they pay to watch it. The truth is very often very boring. A lie is faster and more interesting than the truth. People no longer need to hear the truth from the media. Now they want to receive confirmation of their own beliefs. The audience is not looking for facts, but media content that will let them know they are right”, says Stefan Janjic.
The battle for media literacy should be individual and constant
The process of becoming able to use social media, or the capacity to understand and analyze the nature, techniques, and effects of media messages and products critically, is known as media education. People must develop media literacy skills and habits in order to be involved and critical media consumers.
These abilities include the ability to access media on a basic level, to critically analyze it using specific key concepts and to evaluate it using that analysis. People who are media literate are more likely to analyze, question, comprehend, and value their multimedia culture.
Stefan Janjic says that in Serbia media literacy has become part of the official school curriculum as an optional subject in high schools, but also adds that the battle for media literacy of older generations has already been lost.
“The truth is very often very boring. The articles we write for our site are generally very long, loaded with numbers and data. We try to make it as interesting as possible, but the truth can never be as interesting as a lie. In addition, the truth always comes later, after some lie or misinformation has already been spoken. It takes time to gather sources and publish analysis. By then, the lie had already experienced its zenith - it was seen by hundreds and thousands of people, and perhaps even became popular. Our analysis comes as something of a latecomer”, he says.
Mentioning Brandolini's law, also known as the disinformation asymmetry principle, he says that its widely known that the time which takes to deconstruct disinformation is inversely proportional to the time it took to create it.
“Making long-term plans in terms of media literacy is possible only with the younger people, but this is not something that can be learned through one course or subject during one semester. We can organize media literacy trainings, even introduce the subject in high schools, but it is still a struggle that each individual must face alone. One must constantly train and practice to recognize misinformation in the media world”, concludes Janjic.
Cynicism or the absolute trust
The public's trust in parliament, institutions and media in general is very low. It's possible that healthy skepticism led to destructive and harmful cynicism. Cynicism is the other extreme where people think that they have already seen through everything.
“When we talk about disinformation, we have to tell people again and again that there is another side, and that is professional journalism, which is very much alive in Serbia”, says Janjic and adds: “In Serbia, there are numerous professional investigative newsrooms, which do very responsible and important work fighting against crime and corruption. These are people who sacrifice their time, mental health, safety and, in the last case, their lives, because they deal with very serious topics in very dangerous circumstances.”
Professional journalism is defined as journalism that is ethically and responsibly practiced and regulated by media laws. Professional journalism is admired for its carefully researched and trustworthy information. Professional journalists begin their education with lessons in ethics and standards. As a result, they are better informed on what they can and cannot do when reporting. Journalists are regulated by ethics and standards to ensure that the news they report is truthful and not biased in any way.
“I think it is very important to explain to people that not everything is a lie. Teaching about media literacy used to mean explaining to people that not everything they read in the media is true, but today we have to remind them that not everything is a lie. There are people who react to all news cynically and with mockery”, says Janjic.
Cynicism is as dangerous as absolute trust in all media content. There should always exist healthy suspicion flexible and ready to accept if someone with authority, facts or a photo shows that something is true.
Written by Danica Popovic
Stefan Janjic, “FakeNews Tragač” editor from Serbia, says that in this country there are several newsrooms that deal with checking and analyzing information and disinformation. The first newsroom of this type was "Istinomer" (“Truth-scale”). This form of analyzing information published in the media began with the analysis of politicians' statements, and then "FakeNews Tragač" (FakeNews Tracker) and "Rasrikavanje" were founded as part of the “Krik” editorial office.
Social networks of lies
More than at any other time in human history, new digital platforms have unleashed creative journalism practices, enabling unique forms of communication and a wider global audience. On the other hand, the spread of false information, also known as "fake news", is accelerating and changing how people see daily events.
Over the years, the landscape of the news media has undergone significant transformation. The reach of journalism, social media, and public involvement have all significantly expanded thanks to digital sources.
“The connection between social networks and false information is a significant issue. The social network “Facebook” is the most suitable environment for the creation of disinformation and a breeding ground for disinformation. Facebook loses users when it removes certain users, groups or pages that continuously spread misinformation. By removing such groups of users and pages, it loses profit”, says Janjic.
He continues by saying that Facebook users are particularly vulnerable because they are only exposed to other individuals who share their interests. Additionally, that audience finds it extremely hard to access any other information or viewpoint, making it difficult for them to reach the facts and the truth of a subject.
“Now there are several newsrooms in our speaking area that have cooperation with Facebook, which means that their disinformation analysis has the greatest reach. If they recognize misinformation on social networks or on the pages of some media on Facebook, it can be marked as fake. As a result, that information has less visibility and reaches fewer people”, explains Janjic.
Fake news factories
The word "fake news" has evolved to mean various things to various people. "Fake news" are, in general, defined as media articles which are false, meaning they lack verified information, sources or quotes. These articles may occasionally contain propaganda that is intended to deceive the reader or be made as "clickbait" in order to gain profit.
“The role of traditional media and the press is still extremely high in Serbia. No matter how many small dailies go out of business, in Serbia we have a huge market of printed media that not only have their printed copies but also very influential websites”, says Janjic and adds that the main problem is that misinformation often does not remain within the borders of a country. He explains that, soon after some disinformation is published is being taken over and spread by other countries of the Balkans. “This is how the “misinformation market” and the so-called “fake news factory” is created”, concludes Janjic.
“There are websites that are purposefully created to publish disinformation and fake news that they are sure people will read because of the sensational headlines. The “Šta ima novo” ("What's new") website has "buried" over 40 public figures who are still alive in the past few years”, explains Janjic.
These online editions generate certain income based on the ads they publish on the site, but also from the citizens who make them a profit by opening and reading those news. With the system of clicks, sites like this earn monthly earnings of several thousand euros, which is enough for our conditions to continue to exist.
"The audience likes such content and they pay to watch it. The truth is very often very boring. A lie is faster and more interesting than the truth. People no longer need to hear the truth from the media. Now they want to receive confirmation of their own beliefs. The audience is not looking for facts, but media content that will let them know they are right”, says Stefan Janjic.
The battle for media literacy should be individual and constant
The process of becoming able to use social media, or the capacity to understand and analyze the nature, techniques, and effects of media messages and products critically, is known as media education. People must develop media literacy skills and habits in order to be involved and critical media consumers.
These abilities include the ability to access media on a basic level, to critically analyze it using specific key concepts and to evaluate it using that analysis. People who are media literate are more likely to analyze, question, comprehend, and value their multimedia culture.
Stefan Janjic says that in Serbia media literacy has become part of the official school curriculum as an optional subject in high schools, but also adds that the battle for media literacy of older generations has already been lost.
“The truth is very often very boring. The articles we write for our site are generally very long, loaded with numbers and data. We try to make it as interesting as possible, but the truth can never be as interesting as a lie. In addition, the truth always comes later, after some lie or misinformation has already been spoken. It takes time to gather sources and publish analysis. By then, the lie had already experienced its zenith - it was seen by hundreds and thousands of people, and perhaps even became popular. Our analysis comes as something of a latecomer”, he says.
Mentioning Brandolini's law, also known as the disinformation asymmetry principle, he says that its widely known that the time which takes to deconstruct disinformation is inversely proportional to the time it took to create it.
“Making long-term plans in terms of media literacy is possible only with the younger people, but this is not something that can be learned through one course or subject during one semester. We can organize media literacy trainings, even introduce the subject in high schools, but it is still a struggle that each individual must face alone. One must constantly train and practice to recognize misinformation in the media world”, concludes Janjic.
Cynicism or the absolute trust
The public's trust in parliament, institutions and media in general is very low. It's possible that healthy skepticism led to destructive and harmful cynicism. Cynicism is the other extreme where people think that they have already seen through everything.
“When we talk about disinformation, we have to tell people again and again that there is another side, and that is professional journalism, which is very much alive in Serbia”, says Janjic and adds: “In Serbia, there are numerous professional investigative newsrooms, which do very responsible and important work fighting against crime and corruption. These are people who sacrifice their time, mental health, safety and, in the last case, their lives, because they deal with very serious topics in very dangerous circumstances.”
Professional journalism is defined as journalism that is ethically and responsibly practiced and regulated by media laws. Professional journalism is admired for its carefully researched and trustworthy information. Professional journalists begin their education with lessons in ethics and standards. As a result, they are better informed on what they can and cannot do when reporting. Journalists are regulated by ethics and standards to ensure that the news they report is truthful and not biased in any way.
“I think it is very important to explain to people that not everything is a lie. Teaching about media literacy used to mean explaining to people that not everything they read in the media is true, but today we have to remind them that not everything is a lie. There are people who react to all news cynically and with mockery”, says Janjic.
Cynicism is as dangerous as absolute trust in all media content. There should always exist healthy suspicion flexible and ready to accept if someone with authority, facts or a photo shows that something is true.
Written by Danica Popovic
Julia Thompson: There is a hope for young generation
- Cronkite News is a multiplatform news organization that covers news, business and sports from Arizona, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles. The interesting thing about CN is that their content is created and produced by journalism students. How well prepared students are to work in media outlets and how informed they are on topics of media literacy and fact checking, we asked Julia Thompson, CN Managing Editor and Professor of practice at ASU's Walter Cronkite School.
Interviewed by Marko Vulevic
Authors |
Marko Vulevic (2002) Faculty of Political Science, Univesity of Montenegro Political Science and International Relations Podgorica, Montenegro Danica Popovic (2000) Faculty of Philosophy, University of Nis Journalism Nis, Serbia Katarina Vojnovic (2000) Faculty of Political Science, University of Belgrade Journalism and Communication Studies Novi Sad, Serbia |