Fighting disinformation through media literacy: From current practices to policy making in Europe

Abstract

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.