Information Disorder and the Illiberal Public Sphere

Abstract

This chapter is devoted to the mapping and analysis of the disinformation ecosystem across our sample, examining the ways in which different stages of the illiberal public sphere are linked with the dissemination and reception of false or manipulated information and narratives. We first explore the extent of people’s exposure to misinformation, before mapping the information ecosystems across the four countries and examining specific channels and brands which play a major role in the dissemination of misinformation. Our findings indicate that in countries with a more advanced illiberal public sphere, the perception of misinformation is greater, and their channels are more likely to involve mainstream news media brands. The chapter then focuses on the prevalence of beliefs that are rooted in some of the most popular conspiracy narratives in the region—those involving the US philanthropist George Soros and the 2010 Smolensk air disaster. Finally, we pay attention to a specific communication channel which serves as an important instrument for disinformation campaigns in some of the countries, namely the so-called ‘chain emails’.