Quality recognition as a prescriber against disinformation

 Dolors Palau-Sampio, Valencia (Spain)

 Adolfo Carratalá, Valencia (Spain)

 Raquel Tarullo, Buenos Aires (Argentina)

 Paz Crisóstomo, Santiago de Chile (Chile)

https://doi.org/10.3916/C72-2022-05

Keywords

Disinformation, fake news, information quality, media literacy, university students, journalism

Abstract

Hybrid media context and the infodemic have increased the threat of disinformation, particularly among young people who mostly consume digital content. This article aims to identify the competencies needed to detect low-quality content linked to disinformation by Journalism and Communications undergraduates from Argentina, Chile, and Spain. Based on a double comparative study by countries and levels of education, it tries to predict the skills of future journalists in recognising false information. From an online questionnaire, the participants (N=300) evaluated the quality observed (minimum, average or excellent) and the problems detected from 12 items published in both conventional and pseudo-media. The comparison of results with the expert group shows that about 60% of the students have difficulties in identifying quality accurately and that this ability is higher in the advanced groups. From a selection of five news items, the participants were only able to successfully report 25.3% of the real mistakes in the texts. The correct identification of these mistakes improves in news related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions reveal that undergraduates overestimate their ability to detect disinformation, with a self-perception of 3.46 out of 5. The results also indicate that their media diet combines digital media and social media as a priority, while traditional media have a residual nature.

References

Antunes-Sobral, F., & Nina-de-Morais, N.S. (2020). Información falsa en la red: la perspectiva de un grupo de estudiantes universitarios de comunicación en Portugal. Prisma Social, 29, 172-194. https://bit.ly/33VhOXP

Link Google Scholar

Bennett, W.L., & Livingston, S. (2018). The disinformation order: Disruptive communication and the decline of democratic institutions. European Journal of Communication, 33(2), 122-139. https://doi.org/10.1177/0267323118760317

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Bhaskaran, H., Mishra, H., & Nair, P. (2017). Contextualizing fake news in post-truth era: Journalism education in India. Asia Pacific Media Educator, 27(1), 41-50. https://doi.org/10.1177/1326365X17702277

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Casero-Ripollés, A. (2012). Beyond newspapers: News consumption among young people in the digital era. [Más allá de los diarios: el consumo de noticias de los jóvenes en la era digital]. Comunicar, 39, 151-158. https://doi.org/10.3916/C39-2012-03-05

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Catalina-García, B., Sousa, J.P., & Sousa, L.C. (2019). Consumo de noticias y percepción de fake news entre estudiantes de Comunicación de Brasil, España y Portugal. Revista de Comunicación, 18(2), 93-115. https://doi.org/10.26441/RC18.2-2019-A5

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Chadwick, A. (2017). The hybrid media system: Politics and power. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190696726.001.0001

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Cruz, M., & Morais, N.S. (2020). Fake news identification: Are future communication professionals prepared? [Conference]. Proceedings of EDULEARN20 online conference. https://doi.org/10.21125/edulearn.2020.1959

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Eger, L., Egerová, D., Micík, M., Varga, E., Czeglédi, C., Tomczyk, L., & Sládkayová, M. (2020). Trust building and fake news on social media from the perspective of university students from four Visegrad countries. Communication Today, 11(1), 73-88. https://bit.ly/33UWvFQ

Link Google Scholar

Franklin, B. (2014). The future of journalism: In an age of digital media and economic uncertainty. Journalism Studies, 15(5), 481-499. https://doi.org/10.1080/1461670X.2014.930254

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Gamir-Ríos, J., & Tarullo, R. (2022). Predominio de las cheapfakes en redes sociales. Complejidad técnica y funciones textuales de la desinformación desmentida en Argentina durante 2020. AdComunica, 23, 97-118. https://doi.org/10.6035/adcomunica.6299

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

García-Ruiz, R., Ramírez-García, A., & Rodríguez-Rosell, M. (2014). Media literacy education for a new prosumer citizenship. [Educación en alfabetización mediática para una nueva ciudadanía prosumidora]. Comunicar, 43, 15-23. https://doi.org/10.3916/C43-2014-01

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Gómez-Mompart, J., Gutiérrez-Lozano, J., & Palau-Sampio, D. (2015). Spanish journalists and the loss of news quality: Professional judgements. [Los periodistas españoles y la pérdida de la calidad de la información: El juicio profesional]. Comunicar, 45, 143-150. https://doi.org/10.3916/C45-2015-15

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Gómez-Mompart, J.L., & Palau-Sampio, D. (2013). El reto de la excelencia. Indicadores para medir la calidad periodística. In J.L. Gómez-Mompart, J.F. Gutiérrez Lozano, & D. Palau-Sampio (Eds.), La calidad periodística. Teorías, investigaciones y sugerencias profesionales (pp. 18-34). UAB, UPF, UJI & UV. https://doi.org/10.7203/PUV-ALG26-9164-8

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Grassau, D., Valenzuela, S., Bachmann, I., Labarca, C., Mujica, C., Halpern, D., & Puente, S. (2019). Estudio de opinión pública: Uso y evaluación de los medios de comunicación y las redes sociales durante el estallido social en Chile. [Diapositiva de PowerPoint]. Comunicaciones UC. https://bit.ly/3IYBQ3A

Link Google Scholar

Guess, A., Nyhan, B., & Reifler, J. (2018). Selective exposure to misinformation: Evidence from the consumption of fake news during the 2016 US presidential campaign. European Research Council, 9(3). https://bit.ly/3H1FCHM

Link Google Scholar

Gutiérrez-Coba, L., Coba-Gutiérrez, P., & Gómez-Díaz, J.A. (2020). Noticias falsas y desinformación sobre el covid-19: Análisis comparativo de seis países iberoamericanos. Revista Latina de Comunicación Social, 78, 237-264. https://doi.org/10.4185/RLCS-2020-1476

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Halpern, D., Valenzuela, S., Katz, J., & Miranda, J.P. (2019). From belief in conspiracy theories to trust in others: which factors influence exposure, believing and sharing fake news. In International conference on human-computer interaction (pp. 217-232). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-21902-4_16

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Herrero-Diz, P., Conde-Jiménez, J., Tapia-Frade, A., & Varona-Aramburu, D. (2019). The credibility of online news: an evaluation of the information by university students. Cultura y Educación, 31(2), 407-435. https://doi.org/10.1080/11356405.2019.1601937

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Ireton, C., & Posetti, J. (2018). Journalism, fake news & disinformation: Handbook for journalism education and training. Unesco Publishing. https://bit.ly/3H9ZqIV

Link Google Scholar

Lacy, S., & Rosenstiel, T. (2015). Defining and measuring quality journalism. Rutgers School of Communication and Information. https://bit.ly/3ekmk3Q

Link Google Scholar

Leeder, C. (2019). How college students evaluate and share “fake news” stories. Library & Information Science Research, 41(3). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lisr.2019.100967

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Madrid-Morales, D., Wasserman, H., Gondwe, G., Ndlovu, K., Sikanku, E., Tully, M., Umejei, E., & Uzuegbunam, C. (2021). Motivations for sharing misinformation: A comparative study in six Sub-Saharan African countries. International Journal of Communication, 15, 1200-1219. https://bit.ly/3HICEI9

Link Google Scholar

Martín-Herrera, I., & Micaletto-Belda, J.P. (2021). Opiniones y actitudes de los estudiantes universitarios de Comunicación ante las fake news. Diagnóstico en un ecosistema docente. Comunicación y Hombre, 17, 193-206. https://doi.org/10.32466/eufv-cyh.2021.17.661.193-206

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Martín-Jiménez, V., Reguero-Sanz, I., Berdón-Prieto, P., & Herrero-Izquierdo, J. (2021). Infodemia y percepción del relato mediático: Los estudiantes de periodismo en España ante la COVID-19. Obets, 16(2), 361-376. https://doi.org/10.14198/OBETS2021.16.2.09

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Masip, P., Suau, J., & Ruiz-Caballero, C. (2020). Percepciones sobre medios de comunicación y desinformación: Ideología y polarización en el sistema mediático español. Profesional de la Información, 29(5). https://doi.org/10.3145/epi.2020.sep.27

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Mcdougall, J. (2019). Media literacy versus fake news: Critical thinking, resilience and civic engagement. Media Studies, 10(19), 29-45. https://doi.org/10.20901/ms.10.19.2

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Meier, K. (2019). Quality in journalism. The international encyclopedia of journalism studies, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118841570.iejs0041

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Mendiguren, T., Pérez-Dasilva, J., & Meso-Ayerdi, K. (2020). Actitud ante las fake news: Estudio del caso de los estudiantes de la Universidad del País Vasco. Revista de Comunicación, 19(1), 171-184. https://doi.org/10.26441/RC19.1-2020-A10

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Newman, N., & Fletcher, R. (2017). Bias, bullshit and lies: Audience perspectives on low trust in the media. Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3173579

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Newman, N., Fletcher, R., Schulz, A., Andi, S., Graig, T., & Nielsen, R.K. (2021). Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2020. Reuters for the Study of Journalism. https://bit.ly/3Jeo9hc

Link Google Scholar

Nielsen, R.K., Fletcher, R., Newman, N., Brennen, J.S., & Howard, P.N. (2020). Navigating the ‘Infodemic’: How people in six countries access and rate news and information about coronavirus. Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. https://bit.ly/3eixbeH

Link Google Scholar

Palau-Sampio, D. (2021). Pseudo-media sites, polarization, and pandemic skepticism in Spain. Frontiers in Political Science, 84. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpos.2021.685295

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Paniagua-Rojano, F., Seoane-Pérez, F., & Magallón-Rosa, R. (2020). Anatomía del bulo electoral: La desinformación política durante la campaña del 28-A en España. CIDOB d'Afers Internacionals, 124, 123-146. https://doi.org/10.24241/rcai.2020.124.1.123

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Pérez-Escoda, A., Barón-Dulce, G., & Rubio-Romero, J. (2021). Mapeo del consumo de medios en los jóvenes: Redes sociales, ‘fake news’ y confianza en tiempos de pandemia. IndexComunicación, 11(2), 187-208. https://doi.org/10.33732/ixc/11/02Mapeod

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

R Core Team (Ed.) (2020). R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing. https://bit.ly/3KhL0YV

Link Google Scholar

Rodríguez-Virgili, J., Serrano-Puche, J., & Fernández, C.B. (2021). Digital disinformation and preventive actions: perceptions of users from Argentina, Chile, and Spain. Media and Communication, 9(1), 323-337. https://doi.org/10.17645/mac.v9i1.3521

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Romero-Rodríguez, L.M., & Aguaded, I. (2016a). Consumo informativo y competencias digitales de estudiantes de periodismo de Colombia, Perú y Venezuela. Convergencia Revista de Ciencias Sociales, 70, 35-57. https://doi.org/10.29101/crcs.v23i70.3806

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Romero-Rodríguez, L.M., & Aguaded, I. (2016b). The economic dis-information in Spain: Case study of BFA-Bankia and its IPO. Communication & Society, 29(1), 37-61. https://doi.org/10.15581/003.29.1.37-51

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Ryfe, D. (2019). The warp and woof of the field of journalism. Digital Journalism, 7(7), 844-859. https://doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2018.1517605

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Salaverría, R. (2021). Entender y combatir la desinformación sobre ciencia y salud. Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación. https://bit.ly/32lNLIj

Link Google Scholar

Salaverría, R., Buslón, N., López-Pan, F., León, B., López-Goñi, I., & Erviti, M.C. (2020). Desinformación en tiempos de pandemia: tipología de los bulos sobre la Covid-19. Profesional de la Información, 29(3). https://doi.org/10.3145/epi.2020.may.15

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Silveira, P. (2020). Fake news consumption through social media platforms and the need for media literacy skills: a real challenge for Z Generation. In Proceedings of INTED2020, 2-4 marzo 2020, Valencia, Spain. https://doi.org/10.21125/inted.2020.1063

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Tarullo, R., & Frezzotti, Y. (2021). Ver no siempre es creer: El uso juvenil de Instagram como canal de información y noticias falsas sobre COVID-19. Cuadernos de Información y Comunicación, 24(136). https://doi.org/10.18682/cdc.vi136.5039

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Tejedor, S., Cervi, L., Martínez, F., & Tusa, F. (2021a). Principales motivaciones en el uso de redes sociales en estudiantes de Comunicación: Perspectiva comparada entre Colombia, Ecuador y España. Journal of Iberian and Latin American Research, 27(1), 163-182. https://doi.org/10.1080/13260219.2021.1947353

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Tejedor, S., Portalés-Oliva, M., Carniel-Bugs, R., & Cervi, L. (2021b). Journalism students and information consumption in the era of fake news. Media and Communication, 9(1), 338-350. https://doi.org/10.17645/mac.v9i1.3516

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Vicario, M.D., Quattrociocchi, W., Scala, A., & Zollo, F. (2019). Polarization and fake news: Early warning of potential misinformation targets. ACM Transactions on the Web, 13(2), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1145/3316809

Link DOI | Link Google Scholar

Fundref

This work is part of the R&D “Flujos de desinformación, polarización y crisis de la intermediación mediática (Disflows)” Project, funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation and the State Research Agency (PID2020-113574RB-I00).

Crossmark

Technical information

Received: 25-12-2021

Revised: 18-01-2022

Accepted: 02-03-2022

OnlineFirst: 15-05-2022

Publication date: 01-07-2022

Article revision time: 24 days | Average time revision issue 72: 31 days

Article acceptance time: 67 days | Average time of acceptance issue 72: 75 days

Preprint editing time: 142 days | Average editing time preprint issue 72: 150 days

Article editing time: 187 days | Average editing time issue 72: 195 days

Metrics

Metrics of this article

Views: 22173

Abstract readings: 20424

PDF downloads: 1749

Full metrics of Comunicar 72

Views: 245388

Abstract readings: 221504

PDF downloads: 23884

Cited by