Preliminary communication
https://doi.org/10.22522/cmr20220177
Analysis of Readers' Attitudes about Fake News in Electronic Publications during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Ivan Jurković
Krešimir Dabo
orcid.org/0000-0001-9260-7384
; Edward Bernays University College
Abstract
With the advent of the pandemic, a significant number of fake news items appears in the media space, which is the research problem of this paper. The aim of the paper is to check whether readers of electronic publications are informed about the concept of fake news and can recognize it. The research method used in the paper is a questionnaire on a non-probability, convenience sample of respondents, which provides data on the informedness of respondents about the concept of fake news, the trust of respondents towards news from Internet sources, and the informadness of respondents about how they can contribute to preventing the spread of fake news. The results showed a high level of recognition of fake news in electronic publications, however, without the reaction of reporting them. This step is precisely a part of the solution, because the individual reader, who is part of the communication process, today has the possibility of two-way communication with the media. By educating readers about their options, an individual can become an active participant in preventing the spread of fake news. Therefore, the results of this research can open space for further analysis on the possibilities of implementing more advanced solutions at the level of the state, i.e. legal frameworks, educational institutions, and at the level of the journalistic profession for strengthening media literacy.
Keywords
fake news, reader, electronic publications, COVID-19, media literacy
Hrčak ID:
280737
URI
Publication date:
18.7.2022.
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