| Abstract: | Introduction
Disinformation in the last 10 years has become a very important cause in many states’ agendas as a threat to democratic values of the society and as an interruption to countries’ developments towards democratisation. This also refers to North Macedonia, as being a country where disinformation has become a subject to many scholars and experts, government so as regulatory bodies. Social media has been increasingly used as a powerful tool for political engagement and expression. Political actors have used the benefits of digital media to shape public opinion, to control the flow of information online and to initiate particular political activity through political campaigns. Political actors have used rumor and other false information tools since ever, but modern technologies allow them to produce and disseminate disinformation faster and with a great effect. The speed, reach and low cost of online communication is increasing the consequences of disinformation. Therefore, the causes and impact of disinformation on democracy, human rights and the rule of law are the subjects which are constantly studied with particular attention by respective field experts and researchers. The research project on computational propaganda by the University of Oxford (2019), revealed 70 countries worldwide of organized social media manipulation campaigns, from which in 45 countries these tools and techniques were used by political parties or politicians during the times of important political events, such as elections. Among other democratic and non-democratic states, in this report North Macedonia was examined as one of the countries where cyber troop activity took part through social media manipulation, respectively Facebook and Tweeter fake accounts: automated accounts –bots and human accounts. As the report reveals, in North Macedonia these strategies were used for attacking opposition, for spreading polarizing messages and for suppressing participation through personal attacks or harassments. (Bradshaw & Howard, 2019) But, all of these wouldn’t be possible and wouldn’t reach so much attention and effect without the consumers’ i.e. audience’s consent and activity. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, a big number of users engaged to these intentionally organized package of news and help disseminate the un/truth information which threatens media pluralism, jeopardizes the freedom of expression and weakenes citizens’ trust in institutions and media. |
EBSCOhost
World Bank
EconBiz
De Gruyter
OpenEdition
European Respiratory Journal
Mathematical Sciences Publishers Journals
Make a suggestion Refine your searchDisinformation as a tool in political campaigns - How the audience perceives the disinformation - case study Republic of North Macedonia / Edlira Palloshi Disha
