Interviewed by: Tatjana Srceva Pavlovska

Information in modern society increases in value since it can be used not only as a product but also as a means of influencing public opinion and institutions. Among the set of definitions, the most common one is the definition by N. Wiener, according to which, information is the exchange of messages, it is "the content of material obtained from the outside world in the process of adaptation of a person to it". But in the modern-day era, we have been witnesses of a myriad of instances and occasions in which information is being used as means of manipulation.

In relation to this, now more than ever, it seems important to address this particular issue. In this respect, a panel discussion on the topic “Disinformation, misinformation and fake news: Causes, trends and their influence on our lives” was held on May 11th, 2022 and was organized by a number of experts in this field, members of Democracy Lab, among whom Ms. Fortesa Asani. Her participation in the Advanced Leadership on Politics Institute (ALPI) program for young trailblazers, supported by the International Republican Institute (IRI), empowered and equipped her to be “a force” for democratic change and improve the lives of all citizens in North Macedonia.

The panel discussed different perspectives on the topic with a focus on what disinformation, misinformation, and fake news is, what  their purpose is, how they can affect our daily lives, and what the ongoing trends in different countries globally, as well as in North Macedonia and the Balkans are. The panel discussion keynote speakers were Mr. Sefer Selimi – Democracy Lab, Mr. Emir Hasanovic – Institute for Strategic Dialogue, and Ms. Rosana Aleksoska – F2N2.

On the occasion, MAAA's editorial board interviewed Mr. Sefer Selimi, the Executive Director of the Association for Democratic Advancement - Democracy Lab and an experienced civic leader with a suitable background. He has worked in the civic society sector and is skilled in democracy building and social movements for positive changes. Mr. Selimi elaborated on various segments related to the issue of tackling disinformation, misinformation and fake news.

Tatjana (MAAA): Mr. Selimi, could you please tell us something about the media today - what is media literacy and why is it important?

SEFER SELIMI: Nowadays, it is very challenging for the entire society to identify which media are reliable and which are not. In this context, the media has been challenged by social media which sometimes can undermine their credibility and further spread fake news, lowering the public’s trust in the media and journalists. Today, if one does not have the necessary skills which can be provided by the media and information literacy, they might not be able to make a distinction between what is relevant and trustworthy news and what is fake news. That is why media literacy is a crucial tool to increase the capacities of every citizen, especially the young people, to identify reliable and accurate sources and news based on which they can make informed decisions.

Tatjana (MAAA): Could you elaborate briefly on the psychology of fake news and why people create it? How can we detect and make a difference between fake news and opinions versus facts?

SEFER SELIMI: There are many motives behind the creation of fake news, but I will emphasize three main reasons. The first one is that fake news can be created for financial gains. Everyone is able to spot through social media different exciting or appealing titles which make you want to open a link. That is clickbait and is usually driven by financial motivations - more site visits mean  greater financial profit. Those people who try to benefit from peoples’ search for exciting news are called profiteers.

The second motive can be intentional, and here, there can be made two main distinctions.  The first one is to achieve a political or ideological goal by influencing the creation of a perception about an issue in the society. The other one relates to the so-called organized disinformation campaigns that can be initiated, planned, designed, and implemented by state actors or non-state actors who want to confuse the public and create a fake reality concerning certain issues. Most importantly, they want to create a perception that although one has all the information that they need, at the end of the day, they might not be able to gain an informed or logical decision to protect themselves, their family, or their country. That is usually done by maligning foreign influences of countries that want to disturb the democracy, undermine the trust of citizens in public institutions, and threaten to erode the trust of all journalists especially those who are credible and do their job right.

Tatjana (MAAA): Should people remain silent in response to misinformation and disinformation, or should they report on rumors and fabricated content, and if so, where, and how? 

SEFER SELIMI: There are many ways to counter disinformation, most importantly by raising awareness through the media and information literacy that will increase the skills of citizens to be able to identify fake news and disinformation campaigns. The other way is through different organizations, which do debunking of fake news and counter false information by providing facts and arguments and exposing them to the public. Another way to do that is by supporting and providing an appropriate environment for professional and ethical media and journalists to do their job and provide information before fake news creates a fake reality for a certain issue.

Tatjana (MAAA): What topics are likely to be the focus of fake news?

SEFER SELIMI: It depends, and I will focus on disinformation. Disinformation by malign foreign influences has a purpose to identify issues that may divide a society. Then they provide a  narrative and fake stories to further polarize the society and create a greater conflict within it. The topics can be different, they can be targeted towards public institutions, inflate inter-ethnic or religious relations and issues, and all other “hot topics” which can be a reason for a clash in a society.

Tatjana (MAAA): Thank you!