FCRP - Dis/Information

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Cognitive Warfare: Understanding the Threat
(Routledge, 2023) Bârgăoanu, Alina; Durach, Flavia
Starting from the premise that you cannot tackle a problem that is poorly understood, the chapter explores a relatively new phenomenon known by many names, such as “information warfare”, “disinformation disorder”, “post-truth”, “computational propaganda”, “network propaganda”, “disinformation 2.0”, “ampliganda”, or “cognitive warfare”. The aim of the chapter is to provide arguments in favor of the idea that the current situation under which the human mind is turned into an international/ transnational battlefield is best captured by the term “cognitive warfare”. This new type of warfare is waged by means of disinformation, propaganda, influence operations and hostile information campaigns all at the same time. Above all, this new type of warfare is waged in a completely changed communication and information ecosystem, where every major issue in a society can be weaponized thanks to the very connectivity of that new ecosystem. Conceptualizing cognitive warfare as a new, technology-driven phenomenon has implications for research and for policy-making. We illustrate these implications especially for endeavors towards documenting the phenomenon by means of a national public opinion survey using an online panel (N=1000), representative of the population of Romania that has access to the Internet and is aged 18 or higher.
Countering Disinformation: A Delicate Balance Between International Action and National Particularities
(Cognitatio Press, 2025-05-28) Durach, Flavia; Ciocea, Mălina; Nastasiu, Cătălina
Policies to address disinformation aim to protect a number of key public goods, such as self-determination by citizens, fair elections, and a healthy media and information ecosystem. The literature on resilience to disinformation finds striking differences between states, resulting from particular combinations of factors. Consequently, there is a need to maintain a delicate balance between coordinated action at the global level and localized interventions in response to particular vulnerabilities. Starting from this premise, this article explores the complexities of local contexts that contribute to resilience and addresses the tensions in developing evidence-based policies grounded in a wider societal context and system of values. Our study relies on data collected in an EU-funded project, Strategic Planning to Strengthen the Disinformation Resilience and the Management of Hybrid Threats, implemented jointly by the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration (Bucharest) between 2020 and 2023. By using insights from key project activities (public opinion survey and policy brief), we assess Romania’s needs and vulnerabilities, which can be addressed through personalized interventions for countering disinformation; we distinguish a particular architecture of policy responses and debate the possible courses of action for a systematic approach to disinformation. Overall, our study contributes to a better understanding of how effective policies for countering disinformation need to be fed by an awareness of relevant global and regional contexts as well as local factors, values, vulnerabilities, and sensibilities.
Electoral dynamics in the age of disinformation: Understanding Romanian voter support for nationalist populist parties in the 2024 elections
(SAGE Publications, 2025) Boțan, Mădălina; Ștefureac, Remus; Stancea, Andreea
This study looks at factors influencing voters' preference for nationalist populist parties in Romania that support closer ties with Russia. Using data from a national survey, we propose that factors like awareness of disinformation, social media use, trust in party leaders, and belief in conspiracy theories significantly affect voting choices. We test each of these factors with logistic regression analysis to see how much they contribute to predicting support for nationalist movements with pro-Russia stance.
Fake News or Disinformation 2.0? Some Insights into Romanians’ Digital Behaviour
(European Institute of Romania, 2018-06) Bârgăoanu, Alina; Radu, Loredana
This paper focuses on digital behaviour, self-assessment of vulnerabilities to digital disinformation, and patterns of trust as exposed by Romanian citizens. By corroborating the data of the first national public opinion survey on fake news and disinformation (implemented between February and March 2018) with the Special Eurobarometer no. 464 – Fake News and Disinformation Online – implemented in the same time frame (February 2018), we capture the perceptions and attitudes of Romanian citizens over the use of new media and news trustworthiness, and we also compare the Romanians’ online behaviour with the average European’s. As similar research reveals, digital disinformation affects resilience of citizens in Member States and in the European Union overall, it “threatens the democratic political processes and values” (European Commission, 2018: 12), the integrity of elections and political processes, and should therefore, be approached as a legitimate public concern. Our paper opens the floor for more dedicated research and applied policies - at both the Member States and EU levels - aimed at mitigating the rising and ever worrying fake news phenomenon.
Fighting disinformation through media literacy: From current practices to policy making in Europe
(Center for Research on the English-Speaking World (CREW), 2025) Frau-Meigs, Divina; Corbu, Nicoleta; Osuna-Acedo, Sara
The new media ecosystem has deeply transformed the way online disinformation spreads and multiplies in the last few years. Consistent efforts have been made at national and European levels to find efficient ways to fight disinformation and raise public awareness about the dangers associated with it. In this context, the current study gathers expert opinions about current practices and possible ways to intervene through public policies in fighting disinformation, with a focus on media literacy solutions. In European-funded project YouVerify, in-depth interviews were conducted with disinformation fighters, journalists, and policy makers (N=30) in three European countries (France, Romania, and Spain), to find solutions that could actively contribute to implementing public policy in this area. The main results show similarities and differences between the three countries, especially in projected future solutions. All respondents see the enhancement of current practices as mandatory in the future. Additionally, in France, interviewees see fact-checking, quality journalism, and media regulation as the main drivers of the fight against disinformation, while in Romania experts focus on research and education, and in Spain on education and awareness campaigns. Experts in all countries consider media literacy as key instrument of the future policies to fight disinformation.
Fighting disinformation: Evidence for policy making
(Routledge, 2024) Corbu, Nicoleta; Frau-Meigs, Divina; Teyssou, Denis; Bârgăoanu, Alina
In recent years, “fake news” has become a buzzword, often weaponised for various purposes. A very abundant literature addressing many facets of the phenomenon has flourished in the last years covering topics related to definitions and classifications of “fake news”, its negative effects, and the technological facilitators associated with it, etc. However, literature focusing on ordinary people’s understanding of “fake news” is rather scarce. By means of two focus groups (N = 8) conducted in four countries (France, Romania, Spain, and Sweden), one with teachers and one with ordinary people (N = 64), we investigated the audience’s perspectives on “fake news” definitions, possible effects, and potential measures to address them. Findings show that there is an almost general consensus about strategic intentions as key to defining “fake news”. The perceived impact of “fake news” is very high among participants, with concern about democratic consequences, especially in the public health sector. Finally, differences between the two types of groups and across countries are further discussed, with a focus on implications for evidence-based policymaking.
Information Warfare: Adapting to the Ever-Changing Nature of War
(Routledge, 2024) Vladu, Loredana; Bârgăoanu, Alina; Nastasiu, Cătălina
There are crucial implications for the Intelligence Community as it navigates the evolving landscape of modern information warfare. This study reveals a critical gap between expert perceptions and public attitudes, particularly in Romania, where citizens’ understanding of the new information warfare, pro-Russian narratives, and Western alliances diverge significantly from expert analysis. Intelligence agencies need to improve their ability to monitor and counter disinformation by understanding the sociopolitical and information environments that adversaries exploit, particularly in the context of pro-Russian and anti-Western propaganda. These efforts must account for the broader rise of illiberalism, which leverages ultranationalism, religion, and conservative values to fuel anti-Western and antiestablishment sentiments.
Justifying an Invasion: When Is Disinformation Successful?
(Routledge, Taylor & Francis Inc., 2024) Zilinsky, Jan; Theocharis, Yannis; Pradel, Franziska; Corbu, Nicoleta
Conventional wisdom suggests that social media, especially when used by authoritarian powers with nefarious aims, leaves citizens of democratic countries vulnerable to psychological influence campaigns. But such concerns overlook predispositions among recipients of false claims to reject (or to endorse) conspiratorial narratives. Analyzing responses from a survey fielded in 19 countries, we find that it is a preexisting conspiracy outlook at the individual level, more so than media diets, which consistently predicts rating Russia’s pretenses for the invasion as more accurate. In all countries, individuals who view the world in general with a conspiratorial mindset are more likely to believe war-related disinformation. Receiving news via YouTube, Facebook, or TikTok is also associated with greater belief in Russian narratives justifying the invasion in several countries, but these relationships are weaker compared to those observed for conspiracy thinking. Without downplaying a potential positive role for media interventions, the findings highlight the importance of a deeper understanding of the underlying causes of conspiratorial thinking.
Media Exposure to Conspiracy vs. Anti-conspiracy Information. Effects on the Willingness to Accept a COVID-19 Vaccine
(Polskie Towarzystwo Komunikacji Społecznej, 2021) Udrea, Georgiana; Buturoiu, Raluca; Dumitrache, Alexandru Cristian; Corbu, Nicoleta
The COVID-19 pandemic opened the doors for a corresponding “infodemic”, associated with various misleading narratives related to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. As the way to stop the pandemic was unveiled, misleading narratives switched from the disease itself to the vaccine. Nevertheless, a rather scarce corpus of literature has approached the effects of these narratives on the willingness to take a vaccine against COVID-19. This study investigates how exposure to conspiracy narratives versus information that counter these narratives influences people’s willingness to get vaccinated. Based on an experimental design, using a sample of Romanian students (N=301), this research shows that exposure to factual information related to COVID-19 vaccines meant to debunk conspiracy theories leads to higher willingness to vaccinate. Furthermore, this study shows that young, educated Romanians consider distant others to be more influenced by conspiracy theories on this topic, and, therefore, more prone to exhibit hesitancy towards COVID-19 vaccination.
Memes and Their Role in the 2019 Romanian Presidential Elections: An Exploratory Analysis
(College of Communication and Public Relations of the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration, 2025) Stancea, Andreea; Călin, Iulia; Ciocîrlan, Cecilia
This article explores the influence of memes on political discourse and public opinion during the 2019 Romanian presidential elections. Focusing on memes related to candidates Klaus Iohannis and Viorica D & atilde;ncil & atilde;, the article highlights the dual role of memes: as entertainment and as tools for framing political narratives in a biased manner. Employing content analysis, the article offers a view over the types of memes that emerged during the 2019 Romanian presidential elections, emphasizing the representation of the two front-runner candidates: Klaus Iohannis and Viorica D & atilde;ncil & atilde;. Generally, memes of both candidates were negative in tone with Iohannis more likely to be framed in terms of his funny and humorous situations and D & atilde;ncil & atilde; in terms of her low intellectual qualities. The article calls for further exploration into the strategic use of memes in politics, aiming to grasp their impact on shaping public perceptions and narratives in the upcoming 2024 elections.
Misinformation Detection in the Context of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine: Evidence From Original Survey Data Collected in 19 Democracies
(Oxford University Press, 2024) Gehle, Luisa; Hameleers, Michael; Tulin, Marina; De Vreese, Claes; Aalberg, Toril; Van Aelst, Peter; Cardenal, Ana S.; Corbu, Nicoleta; Van Erkel, Patrick
It can be difficult for citizens to discern factually accurate information from mis- and disinformation. Particularly in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the omnipresence of counterfactual narratives, propaganda, and partisan content may increase the likelihood that citizens select and accept mis -or disinformation. To assess citizens’ performance in discerning false statements from factually accurate information on the war, we utilized original survey data across 19 countries (N = 19,037) with soft quotas for age, education, and gender to approximate population characteristics. Our main findings indicate that people perform relatively well in discerning factually accurate information from false statements and that self-perceived media literacy and the need for cognition corresponds with better performance. Stronger pro-Russia views on the war correspond with a lower performance in misinformation detection, whereas anti-Russia attitudes are associated with better evaluations of the statements’ truthfulness. We find little cross-country variation in these patterns. As a key implication, we show that discernment between factually accurate information and mis- or disinformation is driven by both accuracy and partisan motivation and that these effects are similar across most different national contexts.
Mistakenly misinformed or intentionally deceived? Mis- and Disinformationperceptions on the Russian War in Ukraine among citizens in 19 countries
(John Wiley & Sons, 2024) HAMELEERS, MICHAEL; TULIN, MARINA; DE VREESE, CLAES; AALBERG, TORIL; VAN AELST, PETER; CARDENAL, ANA SOFIA; Corbu, Nicoleta
In information environments characterized by institutional distrust, fragmentation and the widespread dissemination of conspiracies and disinformation, citizens perceive misinformation as a salient and threatening issue. Especially amidst disruptive events and crises, news users are likely to believe that information is inaccurate or deceptive. Using an original 19-country comparative survey study across diverse regions in the world (N = 19,037), we find that news users are likely to regard information on the Russian war in Ukraine as false. They are more likely to attribute false information to deliberative deception than to a lack of access to the war area or inaccurate expert knowledge. Russian sources are substantially more likely to be blamed for falsehoods than Ukrainian or Western sources – but these attribution biases depend on a country's position on the war. Our findings reveal that people mostly believe that falsehoods are intended to deceive them, and selectively associate misinformation with the opposed camp.
Perceived prevalence of misinformation fuels worries about COVID-19: a cross-country, multi-method investigation
(Taylor & Francis, 2022) Matthes, Jörg; Corbu, Nicoleta; Jinc, Soyeon; Theocharis, Yannis; Schemer, Christian; Van Aelst, Peter; Strömbäck, Jesper
Data suggests that the majority of citizens in various countries came across ‘fake news’ during the COVID-19 pandemic. We test the relationship between perceived prevalence of misinformation and people’s worries about COVID-19. In Study 1, analyses of a survey across 17 countries indicate a positive association: perceptions of high prevalence of misinformation are correlated with high worries about COVID-19. However, the relationship is weaker in countries with higher levels of case-fatality ratios, and independent from the actual amount of misinformation per country. Study 2 replicates the relationship using experimental data. Furthermore, Study 2 demonstrates the underlying mechanism, that is, perceived prevalence of misinformation fosters the belief that COVID-19 is spiralling out of control, which in turn, increases worries. Our findings suggest that perceived prevalence of misinformation can have significant psychological effects, even though audience members reject the information as being false.
Predictors of COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance: The Role of Trust and the Influence of Social Media
(2024-02-21) Bârgăoanu, Alina; Buturoiu, Raluca; Durach, Flavia
The study discusses the predictors of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance in Romania. We implemented a national survey using an online panel (N = 1006), representative for the online population of Romania aged 18 or higher, conducted on 13–26 October, 2020, by the national pollster QUESTIA. Results show a predictive model of people’s willingness to take the COVID-19 vaccine, in which trust in the actors and institutions involved in the management of the crisis is the strongest predictor, followed by the belief in toxic or misleading narratives about vaccines and the COVID-19 pandemic, and media consumption patterns. Education is a moderator of the relationship between trust and the willingness to vaccinate. Implications for professionals in the social work fields, as well as for policy-makers are discussed. Results could be used as a starting point for developing recommendations for evidence-based health communication in the context of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign.
Public policies to fight disinformation actively through media and information literacy
(Routledge, Taylor & Francis Inc., 2024) Durach, Flavia; Vladu, Loredana; Călin, Iulia; Enache, Marina
The chapter focuses on current and prospective policy measures in the EU to counter disinformation, among which is media literacy. Media literacy practices and actions in the EU member states vary significantly in terms of their embedment in formal education, actors involved, number of relevant initiatives, and social impact. Against this background, our research objectives were: (1) to understand and comparatively assess current practices in France, Spain, and Romania to actively fight disinformation, with a focus on MIL, fact-checking, education policies, and (2) to formulate recommendations for designing policies to mitigate disinformation risks in EU. Between January and March 2022, within EU-funded project YouVerify!, we conducted 30 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with French, Romanian, and Spanish experts from relevant fields: decision-makers, experts in disinformation and media literacy, and journalists involved in the media coverage of politics and/or working in online media. The results provided insights on the public policies put in place in each country, in relation to other types of measures for fighting disinformation. Building on this up-to-date analysis, we designed policy recommendations in each country and at the EU level, to strengthen the impact of MIL practices and to increase their synergy with other types of measures.
Why do Citizens Choose to Read Fact-Checks in the Context of the Russian War in Ukraine? The Role of Directional and Accuracy Motivations in Nineteen Democracies
(Sage, 2024) Tulin, Marina; Hameleers, Michael; De Vreese, Claes; Aalberg, Toril; Corbu, Nicoleta; Van Erkel, Patrick F. A.
The recent surge of false information accompanying the Russian invasion of Ukraine has re-emphasized the need for interventions to counteract disinformation. While fact-checking is a widely used intervention, we know little about citizen motivations to read fact-checks. We tested theoretical predictions related to accuracy-motivated goals (i.e., seeking to know the truth) versus directionally-motivated goals (i.e., seeking to confirm existing beliefs) by analyzing original survey data (n = 19,037) collected in early April to late May 2022 in nineteen countries, namely Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, and USA. Survey participants read ten statements about the Russian war in Ukraine and could opt to see fact-checks for each of these statements. Results of mixed models for three-level hierarchical data (level 1: statements, level 2: individuals, and level 3: countries) showed that accuracy motivations were better explanations than directional motivations for the decision to read fact-checks about the Russian war in Ukraine.

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