Almost half of young people in Moldova have difficulty identifying manipulation, and every third search for news on the Internet. The data were presented on April 13th, as part of a study conducted by the Center for Educational and Community Development, notes realitatea.md.
The authors of the research claim that every second young person belongs to the category of those who are likely to be influenced by the controlled media. At the same time, 84% of them agreed with the statement that for young people “it is important to be able to distinguish the news that has the purpose of manipulation or misinformation in society.”
Respondents also acknowledge that they must have media skills. According to the study, 61% of them believe that the subject “Media Education” taught in high school could protect them from manipulation, propaganda and misinformation. The research also shows that the main source of information for young people is social networks, which is also the reason for their massive use, especially in the context of the latest events in the region and in the world arena: the war in Ukraine and the pandemic.
“Young people are aware that contemporary society is constantly subject to media influences generated by certain circles of interest, either political or commercial. Knowledge of several foreign languages gives young people an enormous advantage, compared to the older generation, to get information from several sources, especially foreign ones, which develops them critical thinking, to check a news story, to distinguish a false news story, to identify the manipulation and misinformation of the media “, say the authors of the research.
The study wich assessed of media skills and the level of media literacy among young people in the Republic of Moldova, conducted by CDEC, was conducted between February 20th and March 25th, 2022. The aim of the research was to determine the level of information, trust, and attitude compared to the sources of information.
In total, 1533 people over the age of 18 were interviewed nationally.
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