No abstract

"Fake news is one of the most discussed topics in the last few years. During the COVID-19 pandemic and during the Ukrainian war, the dangerous nature of this phenomenon became more obvious. More politics and more journalists are using now (fake) news as a weapon. Modern war must be considered in its informational part also. So, a correct evaluation of the news is an important skill for their consumers. Which are the psychological effects of fake news on the audience? Which is the psychological profile of the people that consume fake news? Which people are more vulnerable to suffering its negative effects? Why do people believe and share fake information? How can we explain the failure to distinguish accurate from inaccurate news? We studied the recent research in order to find the answers. This study is a literature review on the argument of fake news, its psychological effects on people and some explanations for this phenomenon. "

Mass media represent today a huge social force, designed not only to deliver information, but mostly to shape attitudes and behaviours. It has a strong influence on the way that people perceive life, society, the world and their own existence. The mass media is creating and providing role models, leaders to follow, persons to compare yourself with and "modern heroes" aimed to guide the public. But which are the properties of these characters? What directions are they showing by their actions? This study aims to present the characteristics of some Romanian mass media "heroes" promoted by the best seller newspaper, their goals and the values associated with them. The psychological effects of this type of social models on public will be discussed. In order for this, we selected the most accessed Romanian journal, according to the Romanian Audit Rating Bureau: "Libertatea" ("Liberty"), the online edition, and we followed the lifestyle section during one week.