The Pillars of Determining Information Credibility

Abstract

This article analyses the issues of determining the credibility of information in the contemporary digital information environment. It examines the importance of reliable information in the context of the growth of global information flows, the popularisation of social networks, and the widespread dissemination of such phenomena as disinformation, misinformation and malinformation in shaping public opinion. In the course of the study, theoretical approaches to assessing the credibility of information are examined, and on the basis of international experience and fact-checking practices, five pillars of information verification are proposed. These are: assessing the credibility of the source, cross-checking through independent sources, verification of visual content, distinguishing fact from opinion, and verification of statistical and empirical data. The findings of the research contribute to strengthening the role of reliable information in shaping public opinion, ensuring information security, and improving the effectiveness of institutional communication.