Debate: Journalism in the Face of Disinformation

In an increasingly tense international information context, the Union of Professional Journalists of Romania (UZPR) organized a public debate entitled "Journalism Face to Face with Disinformation", intended to sound the alarm on the increasing risks generated by fake news, manipulation and loss of trust in the press.

• Fake news: a major problem

The President of the UZPR, Sorin Stanciu, directly addressed the core of the problem: "Fake news means lies. Directed, dangerous lies that do harm." In his opinion, the press has often been accused, unfairly, of intentionally disseminating disinformation, but the real authors of these practices often remain in the shadows, fueling confusion and distrust. UZPR Vice President Dan Constantin drew attention to the danger of rewriting history through seemingly credible forgeries: "It starts from seemingly objective facts, delivered in a convincing form, but which are actually manipulations.” According to him, the decredibility of the press began right from within the guild, through the lack of rigor and responsibility of some journalists who confused opinion with verifiable information.

• Censorship or digital protection?

In a landscape where the algorithms of tech companies decide what appears and what disappears from the public space, collaborations between institutions such as the Directorate for Cyber Security and platforms such as Google raise legitimate questions: is it censorship or responsibility? "Where is the balance between clarity of information and manipulation?” - Dan Constantin asked rhetorically.

• Media education, a pillar of resistance for the future

Radu Szekely, advisor to the Ministry of Education, advocated for the systematic introduction of critical thinking in schools, giving students the necessary tools to discern between truth and lies in the era of constant information flow. Mihai Rotariu, representative of the National Directorate for Cyber Security, stressed the need for a holistic approach, in which education, rapid reactions and cooperation between institutions reduce the impact of disinformation. In turn, Police Commissioner Iulian Drăgoi drew attention to the fact that traditional media increasingly take over content from social networks, without thorough prior verification: "Such information can influence many people - it is essential to verify it in advance.” The debate was the first in a series of events that will be organized by UZPR to stimulate public vigilance, support responsible journalism, and create solid bridges between education, the press, and state institutions in the face of a phenomenon with major destabilizing potential: disinformation.