IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jscscx/v14y2025i3p133-d1598048.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

“Disinformation Aims to Mislead; Misinformation Thrives in Ignorance”: Insights from Experts and Non-Experts in Greek-Speaking Cyprus

Author

Listed:
  • Loukia Taxitari

    (Department of Psychology, Neapolis University Pafos, Pafos 8042, Cyprus
    Fact Check Cyprus, Social Computing Research Centre, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol 3036, Cyprus)

  • Thanos Sitistas

    (Fact Check Cyprus, Social Computing Research Centre, Cyprus University of Technology, Limassol 3036, Cyprus)

  • Eleni Gavriil

    (Department of History, Politics and International Studies, Neapolis University Pafos, Pafos 8042, Cyprus)

Abstract

The article herein examines the multifaceted challenges of misinformation and disinformation in the media landscape, with a focus on strategies to enhance media literacy among adults. The primary objective of this study is to examine the prevalence, characteristics, and impact of disinformation and misinformation in media within the internet society, ultimately contributing to developing targeted educational programs and policy recommendations. To achieve this, a qualitative research design was carried out to explore the views and the broader societal experiences in media-related challenges. The research design utilized thematic analysis of data collected from focus groups and expert interviews, ensuring the representation of diverse perspectives. By focusing on the information landscape in Cyprus and Greece, the present article aims to address the unique local challenges and contribute to the literature gap. The findings reveal the critical importance of tailored educational programs and the cultivation of critical thinking skills in fostering media literacy and combating false information in an effort to put together in a unique study the various experiences, opinions, and needs of individuals who seek to navigate successfully in an information-rich world.

Suggested Citation

  • Loukia Taxitari & Thanos Sitistas & Eleni Gavriil, 2025. "“Disinformation Aims to Mislead; Misinformation Thrives in Ignorance”: Insights from Experts and Non-Experts in Greek-Speaking Cyprus," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-23, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:14:y:2025:i:3:p:133-:d:1598048
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/14/3/133/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/14/3/133/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Roozenbeek, Jon & Maertens, Rakoen & Herzog, Stefan M. & Geers, Michael & Kurvers, Ralf & Sultan, Mubashir & van der Linden, Sander, 2022. "Susceptibility to misinformation is consistent across question framings and response modes and better explained by myside bias and partisanship than analytical thinking," Judgment and Decision Making, Cambridge University Press, vol. 17(3), pages 547-573, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.

      Corrections

      All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:14:y:2025:i:3:p:133-:d:1598048. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

      If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

      If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

      If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

      For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

      Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

      IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.