DISINFORMATION PROPAGANDA CHAIN IN CRISIS SITUATIONS

Abstract

Crises represent a serious threat to the structures, fundamental values, and system norms. Under time-limited conditions and uncertain circumstances, they require the authorities to make the best decisions that will solve the crisis. These situations are accompanied by a communication crisis when the affected public does not receive timely and complete information. Initially, traditional media are focused on promoting activities undertaken by authorities, without providing the necessary information expected by the citizens affected by the crisis. Such practice of traditional media provokes the need for citizens to search the truth through social networks or to oppose media propaganda by anti-propaganda. In both cases, disinformation takes place as the favourite means of propaganda, which only deepens the crisis and diffusely expands moral panic. Research on crisis situations shows that the Internet and social networks, instead of encouraging the development of democracy, exchange of opinions and political communication, have gone to another extreme. The Internet is a potential platform for disinformation, rapid spread of lies and (anti) propaganda even when there is no crisis situation. The authors prove this with the results of the research on the level of awareness of affected citizens during the natural disasters in Obrenovac (floods) and Majdanpek (winter storms), by analysing media outlets in those critical days, as well as during floods in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is concluded that the crisis communication between the authorities and citizens was not at a desirable level; that citizens were in "informative darkness", in which the most important communication channel was a mobile phone, but also that social networks represented training ground for disinformation. The paper has proved that the citizens of Serbia are still poorly prepared for information functioning in crisis situations, despite the experience from the similar disasters.