In the first half of 2024, social networks and messengers became the main platforms for spreading fake information in the Russian media landscape. This is stated in a study by the ANO Dialogue Regions.
The largest number of false messages was recorded on the VKontakte social network, where the share of fakes is 31% of the total number of unreliable messages. Telegram messenger was in second place with 26%, and the Odnoklassniki social network was in third place with 20%.
The study also showed that the number of fakes is related to the size of the platforms' audience and the volume of published content. For example, despite the fact that Telegram recorded significantly more messages compared to VKontakte (933 million versus 414.2 million), the percentage of fakes in Telegram was lower.
The main topics of fakes in the first half of 2024 include socio-economic issues, such as the shortage of goods and threats to the destruction of social infrastructure, as well as false reports of epidemics and diseases in the field of healthcare. In the field of information technology, there is an increase in fakes related to duplicate pages, sites and applications.
Experts emphasize the need for careful verification of information, especially if it is distributed allegedly on behalf of officials or regional authorities. It is recommended to refer to official sources to confirm the accuracy of information.
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