Romania: how to combat disinformation?
Seven people in Romania are under investigation for allegedly attacking an ambulance crew with clubs, axes and stones. The incident was prompted by fake reports on TikTok according to which gangs disguised as ambulance crews were abducting children. The reactions in Romanian media range from anger to calls for effective action.
A toxic mix
Political consultant Radu Hossu explains in Republica.ro why fake news stories like this easily gain traction in Romania:
“Because we are a society where functional illiteracy is at its highest level in the EU, and trust in institutions is at an all-time low. These two factors alone create a toxic mix that endures for generations. If this is compounded by the disinformation campaigns of hybrid warfare – which are ignored by our political elites – I fail to see why this incident should come as such a surprise to us.”
Exposing lies is not enough
In Hotnews, social scientist and former State Secretary Ciprian Necula calls for a serious approach to counter disinformation campaigns:
“The problem is that there is an industry capable of reinforcing every conceivable fear, bringing together people who share the same views, and very quickly turning a suspicion into a certainty. ... It's not enough to combat every lie only after it has already gone viral, because by then it's often already too late. The state must restore the relationship between citizens and institutions, invest seriously in media literacy, maintain a presence within communities and the digital sphere, and understand that disinformation is no longer a minor issue in public communication, but a problem that can have very concrete consequences.”