The speed with which authorities and organizations combating disinformation provide information to the public must be at least as fast as the speed with which false information is spread. The opinion belongs to the program director of CPR Moldova, Dan Nicorici, and was expressed during the public debate “Accession to the European Union and the constellation of disinformation about the community bloc and the process of aligning national legislation”, organized by the IPN Press Agency.
According to the expert, disinformation can take various forms, and a false message can become credible when it is built around true information, but omits essential elements.
“There are various levels of misinformation. From the absurd misinformation, when nothing is true and even a person without critical thinking understands that it is a falsehood. And there is misinformation when everything is true and only one important fact is omitted”, explained the expert from the Center for Policies and Reforms.
In his opinion, the speed at which verified information is provided is essential to counteract falsehoods before they spread and influence public perception.
“When we have situations related to drones or the state budget, verified details about these cases appear after a few hours or even a few days. Whereas those who write fake news, have the information published in five minutes. The speed of information is essential to combat misinformation. Authorities and NGOs fighting misinformation must act so that the speed at which they inform is as fast as the speed at which misinformation is spread”, stated Dan Nicorici.
The Program Director of CPR Moldova also mentioned that including some true information can make a falsehood more convincing, leading the audience to accept the false statements that accompany it. “An important ingredient in promoting a falsehood is to also give a bit of truth. You tell ten lies and one truth and the information seems more credible. There is also a need for a broadcaster, that is, the person who will want to promote this disinformation. Most of the time, disinformation has a face. Usually, they are former journalists or former public figures”, said Dan Nicorici.
Disclaimer: This material is produced by the IPN Press Agency. The project – Europe Closer: Information, Dialogue and Cooperation – is funded by the Department for Relations with the Republic of Moldova. The content of this material does not represent the official position of the Department for Relations with the Republic of Moldova.
