Romanian Cyber Security Journal / Spring 2024, No. 1, Vol. 6

Digital Technologies Used to Combat Disinformation and Fake News

Andreea Florina RADU, Ioana PETCU

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Abstract

One fundamental principle of free democratic societies that is protected by constitutions is the freedom of expression. To form opinions on a range of economic, social, and political issues, citizens in healthy democratic societies must be able to access a large amount of information, including that found online. However, given the increasing prevalence of fake news it is crucial that the information that citizens receive through various channels ‒ such as social media posts, online news articles, and platforms ‒ is verifiable. The dissemination of false information can have a variety of negative effects, including undermining democracy, polarizing discussions, and posing risks to people’s health, safety, and environment. While propaganda has taken many forms over time, digital “fake news” is growing increasingly dangerous. This article raises the alarm about the extent of the danger to which users of the online space are exposed in terms of fake news and the digital means by which this information is disseminated, and outlines some solutions to combat it by raising public awareness.

Keywords

Misinformation, Disinformation, Digital technologies and protocols, Online space, fake news