?
«Очернить светлое и чистое, обелить темное и грязное»: представления россиян о потенциальных рисках фейковых новостей
This article presents the findings of a study on Russian perceptions of the consequences of fake news. The empirical foundation consists of 119 semi-structured interviews conducted in 2024 with respondents of varying ages and news consumption engagement. Participants problematized the spread of fake news, highlighting a wide range of negative consequences that can be grouped into three categories: threats to social solidarity, individual well-being, and the functioning of social institutions. Threats to social solidarity encompass risks of political destabilization, intergroup conflicts, and interpersonal tensions. However, references to conflicts with close acquaintances over fake news often reveal underlying ideological disagreements attributed to others' consumption of misleading information. Identified risks to individual well-being include the negative impact of disinformation on mental and/or physical health. Discussions of fake news as a threat to the functioning of social institutions—such as the media or electoral systems—appear less frequent and emotionally charged. Russian perceptions of the consequences of fake news are shaped by a convergence of personal experiences during significant recent events (e.g., the COVID-19 pandemic, the Special Military Operation, and economic fluctuations), public discourse (which provides interpretive frameworks and fosters beliefs in the ubiquity of fake news), and broader sociocultural trends such as the spread of therapeutic culture, polarization, and societal fragmentation. Overall, perceptions of the consequences of fake news are highly contextual, often illustrated with examples from current events.