Advertising disinformation and media literacy: perceptions of students and communication professionals internationally through a survey and Delphi study

Abstract

Advertising disinformation has been expanding rapidly, becoming an increasingly significant phenomenon in the contemporary communication ecosystem. This research aims to analyse the current state of the art in this domain by presenting the results of a quantitative study, based on questionnaires, reflecting the views of 154 university students in the field of Communication from three countries — Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom — as well as a qualitative analysis of the perspectives of nine Spanish and Portuguese disinformation experts who participated in a Delphi study. The data reveal a concerning reality: the high frequency with which young people access social media (99% of surveyed), combined with their substantial exposure to advertising disinformation (40% to 70%), contrasts with their overestimated perception of their own ability to identify such content (50% to 60%). This disconnection becomes even more alarming when considering the low — or even non-existent — use of fact-checking tools: 90% of the participants in the study admit that they do not verify information on such platforms. Furthermore, the experts consulted emphasise the widespread difficulties users face in identifying disinformation in online advertising content. Given the continued growth of this phenomenon, driven by strong economic incentives, there is an urgent need to implement truly effective regulatory mechanisms that hold digital platforms, and covering not only the domains of commerce, services, and politics, but also institutional and corporate advertising practices. At the same time, strengthening media literacy policies emerges as a crucial strategic response to mitigate the effects of advertising disinformation.