War Fact-Checking: Strategies and Methodology for Debunking Disinformation on the War in Ukraine at the Demagog.org.pl Website

Abstract

The first victim of the war is truth. During armed conflicts, disinformation is particularly dangerous, and attempts to manipulate public opinion – whether in the form of a limited set of information or even fake news – should be expected on each side of the ongoing conflict. In this situation, the ability to verify information distributed in the media space is of great importance, especially in the context of the contemporary omnipresence of social media. The purpose of the article is to present, in a form of case study, the strategies for debunking false information on the conflict in Ukraine on the example of the fact-checking portal Demagog.org.pl. This analysis allowed drawing conclusions on the functions of fact-checking in the media system, among which the most important are control, educational and alarm functions. The research contributes to the media studies literature by shedding some light on fact-checking initiatives’ role in the media system.