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About ICS

The Institute of Communication Studies is a leading research organization in the field of journalism and media studies, public relations and corporate communications. Our mission is to contribute towards strengthening of Macedonian democracy by working with media, civil society and public institutions, educating a critical public that will ask for greater transparency and accountability through engagement in the policy creation process.

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Media Literacy: A Crucial Tool Against Disinformation

Disinformation and propaganda are spreading rapidly, and vulnerable groups are particularly susceptible to their effects. To tackle this problem, a new research study, “Vulnerability to disinformation of diverse groups of citizens in North Macedonia” has been conducted by the Institute of Communication Studies (ICS).

The study aims to identify the individual factors, motives, and barriers that different vulnerable groups of citizens face while recognizing and dealing with disinformation. It also explores media literacy’s psychological and societal drivers and whether it can lead to more successful recognition of disinformation in media (primarily online news). These groups of citizens include young people between 18 and 28 years old, people over 60 years old, and social assistance recipients.

The study is a significant step towards developing resistance to disinformation among vulnerable groups of citizens in North Macedonia. It provides valuable insights into why these groups are susceptible to disinformation, their barriers, how media literacy can be used to combat this issue, and the challenges for different groups of citizens when recognizing and dealing with disinformation. The research suggests that media literacy plays a crucial role in recognizing and dealing with disinformation, with higher media literacy leading to better recognition and resistance to false information.

The study is prepared within the “Use Facts” project, which is implemented with the support of the British Embassy in Skopje.