A human-centric approach to countering disinformation

Fostering epistemic agency via collaborative partnerships and digital source verification interventions

Authors

  • Auksė Balčytienė Department of Public Communications and Vytautas Kavolis Transdisciplinary Research Institute, Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania  https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3358-7912
  • Rimgailė Kasparaitė Department of Public Communications and Vytautas Kavolis Transdisciplinary Research Institute, Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania  https://orcid.org/0009-0001-5950-0566
  • Patricija Lenčiauskienė Department of Public Communications and Vytautas Kavolis Transdisciplinary Research Institute, Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania  https://orcid.org/0009-0007-0575-9699

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15847/obsOBS18520242442

Abstract

Throughout all European countries, disinformation, the prevalence of false narratives and the rise of online radicalism are recognized as profound instances of “dysfunctional communication” driving contemporary societies toward populist polarization and conflict. As traditional guardians of knowledge authority and epistemic commons, the news media takes a bold stance in combatting disinformation, even though the profession is facing significant challenges in terms of business and trust production.

How should journalism education respond to the increasing epistemic uncertainties and develop the essential skills and capacities for digital information verification, while fostering the commitment for ethical communication and serving the public good?

This paper discusses the development and teaching of contemporary journalistic professionalism as a social process sustained via different digital mediums and contextualized within real-world events. Using the example of the pilot study, it suggests that within contemporary journalism education, there is a growing requirement to cultivate a collaborative ethos among journalists and sources, starting within the university setting. The experience gained from the source verification class, tested with Lithuanian journalism students in a collaborative learning situation, reveals fact-checking practices that anticipate the development of epistemic capacities and self-efficacy, crucial for resilient journalistic professionalism.

Author Biography

Auksė Balčytienė, Department of Public Communications and Vytautas Kavolis Transdisciplinary Research Institute, Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania 

 

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Published

2024-02-13

How to Cite

Balčytienė, A., Kasparaitė , R., & Lenčiauskienė, P. (2024). A human-centric approach to countering disinformation: Fostering epistemic agency via collaborative partnerships and digital source verification interventions. Observatorio (OBS*), 18(5). https://doi.org/10.15847/obsOBS18520242442

Issue

Special Issue (2024) Uses of Media Literacy to tackle disinformation: the multiple roles of different stakeholders

Section

Articles

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