Combating disinformation and ensuring a quality environment for disseminating and verifying information is the responsibility of every stakeholder involved in the processes of informing and exchanging information.
In the modern world, information spreads at an incredible speed, disregarding spatial and temporal limitations. The global interconnectedness of society offers numerous opportunities that enable further development of all aspects of society; however, it also presents many challenges. Disinformation and fake news have destructive consequences on society, thus their identification becomes the primary task of 21st-century society. The main sources of news and data are becoming social networks, while trust in media, public, and state institutions continues to decline. Fake news, misinformation, and disinformation lead to information disorder, making it difficult to identify true claims from misleading ones. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to analyze and verify available information.
As part of the project “Improving the Culture of Fact-Checking,” a specialized unit wrote the document “Guidelines for Collecting Information from Online Platforms” with the aim of ensuring the improvement of the information verification procedure on online platforms and social networks due to the dangers present there.
The guidelines should provide a framework for a safe and responsible approach to collecting information, ensuring that the truthfulness and reliability of information is a priority for all internet users, regardless of their role or status. Such an approach not only helps in the fight against disinformation but also strengthens trust in media, public, and state institutions, which is crucial for a healthy and informed society.
