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Psychology, Culture, Journalism, and Democracy in the Digital Age

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@jorgebscomm  for  @empowervmedia H ow do people decide what to believe? Why does misinformation spread so easily? Why do news stories persuade some audiences, alienate others, and disappear entirely for others? And what happens to democracy when journalism, culture, psychology, and algorithms all collide in the same information environment? These are the questions that drive our latest article, "Psychology, Culture, Journalism, and Democracy: A Critical Literature Review of Their Intersections in the Digital Age" . This piece offers an interdisciplinary review of how cognitive processes, cultural values, media systems, and digital technologies interact to shape public knowledge and democratic life today. At its core, the article argues that journalism is not only a communicative institution. It is also a psychological and cultural institution. News is never just “information”. It is interpreted through identity, emotion, trust, social belonging, and the mental shortcuts we ...

Beyond Fact-Checking: Prebunking and the Future of Digital Information Integrity

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Produced for @empowervmedia Edited & fact-checked by @jorgebscomm Prebunking misinformation before it spreads builds cognitive immunity.   (📷:empowervmedia) T he current global landscape is defined by a paradox of connectivity where the tools meant to unite humanity are frequently weaponised to fragment it. According to the 2025 Global Risks Report, misinformation and disinformation have emerged as the primary short-term threats to societal stability, surpassing even economic instability and environmental crises. This "infodemic" is not merely a technical glitch but a structural failure of the digital ecosystem, which was originally designed for engagement rather than accuracy. Structural challenges persist because the information environment was built to prioritise viral content, often allowing falsehoods to travel faster than verified facts. The consequences of this erosion are quantifiable across diverse sectors of public life. In the United States, trust in national...