Education against Disinformation

In the contemporary world, disinformation has serious consequences, including undermining democracy, the economy and public health. They influence electoral processes, undermine trust in companies, encourage divisions and divert attention from key issues. Social networks play a key role in spreading disinformation and lack of transparency. Prevention of disinformation requires the cooperation of different sectors and the application of effective detection, removal and education strategies. Artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly important role in spreading and combating disinformation. Psychological factors such as confirmation bias, cognitive dissonance, and social influence contribute to the spread of disinformation. Education, media literacy and critical thinking are key to overcoming these factors. Software tools such as InVID & WeVerify, Google Fact-Check Explorer and others help debunk disinformation by verifying sources and analysing content. Exploratory research conducted at the University of Applied Sciences in Criminal Investigation and Public Security in Zagreb studied attitudes and behaviours related to disinformation. Participants recognized the importance of checking sources and content analysis, but fewer of them felt that they were sufficiently informed about ways to recognize disinformation. Critical thinking and media literacy play a key role in understanding and combating disinformation.