Evaluating why disinformation spreads rapidly during war and crisis periods, why verification mechanisms weaken on social media, and how the perception of trust towards "blue-ticked" accounts is exploited, Prof. Süleyman İrvan, Head of the Journalism Department, reminded an earlier statement he shared on his X account, saying, "Every hot war is also a propaganda war; it is waged through (social) media."
Prof. İrvan stated, "Truths, of course, emerge sooner or later, but it is always useful to remember this: The first casualty of war is always the truth."
Prof. İrvan, who said, "During crisis periods, we should follow reliable media and journalist accounts, and look at the news we encounter with more suspicion," emphasized the vital importance of digital literacy, especially during periods of uncertainty.
Prof. Süleyman İrvan, Head of the Journalism Department at Üsküdar University Faculty of Communication, evaluated why disinformation spreads rapidly during war and crisis periods, why verification mechanisms weaken on social media, and how the perception of trust towards "blue-ticked" accounts is exploited.
Disinformation is the deliberate, conscious distortion of information or news
Starting his speech by clarifying the definition of disinformation, Prof. İrvan said, "Disinformation means the deliberate, conscious distortion of information or news. The reason it spreads rapidly during crisis periods stems from crises being periods of uncertainty."
Stating that dependence on media and social media increases as uncertainty rises, Prof. İrvan said, "People's tendency to accept information consistent with their own views and expectations as true increases. This is called confirmation bias in psychology. That is, individuals accept this information without feeling the need to verify it."
Every hot war is also a propaganda war
Regarding why verification mechanisms weaken during war and conflict periods, Prof. İrvan said that accessing accurate information becomes extremely difficult during these periods.
Recalling an earlier statement he shared on his X account, Prof. İrvan said, "Every hot war is also a propaganda war; it is waged through (social) media. The warring parties also carry this war to social media. Consequently, it is not easy at all to determine what is true and what is false by looking at the statements made."
As an example, referring to the claims made on February 28, when the attacks by US/Israeli forces against Iran began, Prof. İrvan said, "While US-based media reported on the killing of Iran's religious leader Ali Khamenei, Iranian media published denials of this news. Truths, of course, emerge sooner or later, but it is always useful to remember this: The first casualty of war is always the truth."
"Blue tick" exploits trust perception
Also touching upon how trust in "blue-ticked" accounts is formed on social media, Prof. İrvan stated that, especially on the X platform, the blue tick was perceived as a "symbol of authority" for a long time.
"If an account had a blue tick, the image of a trustworthy account was widespread. However, when this feature was converted to a paid subscription model, anyone who paid could get a blue tick," said Prof. İrvan, adding that despite this, the perception of trust in user psychology had not largely changed.
Prof. İrvan said, "Accounts that want to manipulate society and pursue disinformation exploit this public perception of trust."
Fake news spreads 6 times faster
Regarding whether official denials slow down the spread of viral misinformation, Prof. İrvan said, "It is difficult to say that official denials are always successful," pointing to two main reasons. "Firstly, public trust in authorities has been shaken. Authorities can also deny accurate but unpalatable information. Secondly, there is the logic of social media. If a piece of news is denied, even this denial can serve to spread the news further."
Recalling a study published in Science magazine in 2018, Prof. İrvan said, "This research showed that fake news spreads 6 times faster than real news. It should not be forgotten that even shares like 'This news is false' contribute to its spread rate."
Algorithm rewards engagement, not accuracy
Drawing attention to the algorithmic structure of the X platform, Prof. İrvan said that the system prioritizes the potential for engagement, not the accuracy of the content, and stated, "The algorithm does not look at whether information is correct; it prioritizes the number of likes, comments, and reshares it receives. The more incorrect a piece of news is, the more it is shared, and thus it becomes exactly the kind of content the platform loves."
Stating that the engagement-based revenue model encourages misinformation, Prof. İrvan said, "Some accounts, which I define as 'crumb journalists,' do not hesitate to repeatedly share news that has been proven false just to gain engagement. The more incorrect a piece of news is, the more engagement it receives and the more revenue it generates."
Shutting down social media increases panic
Also touching upon communication strategies that should be applied to prevent panic and social unrest during crisis periods, Prof. İrvan stated that slowing down or blocking access to social media platforms is a wrong method and said, "Slowing down or making social media inaccessible as the first measure because fear and panic are spreading among the public is the worst communication strategy. These actions actually increase panic."
Emphasizing that the correct approach is rapid and accurate information, Prof. İrvan said, "Citizens should be encouraged to share verified news and information. If accurate and continuous information is not provided, rumors and gossip come into play, opening the door to disinformation."
Not giving engagement is also a method of struggle
Finally, touching upon ways to combat fake news on social media, Prof. İrvan said, "Not giving engagement to accounts that share this news is also an effective method."
Prof. İrvan, who said, "During crisis periods, we should follow reliable media and journalist accounts, and look at the news we encounter with more suspicion," emphasized the vital importance of digital literacy, especially during periods of uncertainty.
