Disinformation is not a new phenomenon, but it has taken center stage over the past decade with the rise of social media and digital platforms. The 2016 U.S. elections marked a significant turning point: in the context of Donald Trump’s campaign, the concept of “fake news” entered the public discourse, and since then, concerns about the quality, dissemination, and consumption of information have grown significantly.

Today, misinformation is at the heart of political and social debate in many countries around the world. Governments, political parties, media outlets, and digital platforms are often accused of spreading false or misleading information, and this has fueled widespread distrust in public information. At the same time, social media has become one of the main spaces for public debate, where polarization and opposing discourses have gained increasing prominence.

In this context, the media must also face significant challenges. Many citizens question the independence and objectivity of the media, and this has had a negative impact on public trust in the media. Furthermore, international conflicts, geopolitical crises, and the rapid flow of information are making it increasingly difficult to identify reliable information and contextualize it.

For all these reasons, understanding the infodemic is essential for interpreting today’s information landscape. In this course, experts in journalism, academia, and political communication will explain the main causes of disinformation and provide tools for critically understanding today’s information landscape.

HELBURUAK

This workshop has the following objectives:

• Clarifying the concepts of disinformation and infodemic, based on data from the Digital News Report.

• To examine the political, social, and communicative dimensions of the phenomenon.

• Bringing together perspectives from journalism, academia, and political communication through an interdisciplinary roundtable discussion.

• To provide citizens with the tools they need to consume and interpret information in a responsible manner.

NORI ZUZENDUA

• For citizens interested in communication, journalism, or politics.

• To university students.

• Communication professionals.

This requires prior preparation.