New Information Threats and Digital Media as a Means of Shaping Public Opinion

The rapid expansion of digital communication platforms has fundamentally transformed the circulation of information and the mechanisms through which public opinion is formed. Moreover, the growing prevalence of misinformation and disinformation has intensified concerns regarding information reliability, public trust, and the resilience of democratic communication processes. In this context, understanding the structural dynamics of misinformation and identifying mechanisms that enhance informational resilience have become central research challenges. The aim of this study is to develop an integrated analytical framework for understanding misinformation in digital communication environments by synthesizing interdisciplinary research on digital media, information disorder, and media literacy. Particular attention is given to the interaction between the cognitive, technological, and institutional dimensions that shape the dissemination and mitigation of misinformation. This study employs a structured theoretical literature review based on a systematic search of publications indexed in the Scopus and Web of Science databases for the period 2017–2025. Following a multistage screening procedure aligned with systematic review principles, 47 studies were included in the final analytical corpus. The selected literature was analyzed using a structured conceptual coding approach, focusing on theoretical perspectives, levels of analysis, and mechanisms of misinformation dissemination and mitigation. The findings demonstrate that contemporary research on misinformation is organized around three dominant but insufficiently integrated paradigms–cognitive, technological, and institutional–which together define the complexity of digital communication environments. The analysis further reveals that misinformation dissemination is driven by the interaction of emotional amplification, algorithmic prioritization, and networked communication structures, whereas mitigation strategies–such as media literacy, fact-checking, and platform governance–remain constrained by structural and temporal limitations. This study contributes to the literature by proposing a multilevel analytical perspective that integrates individual behavior, platform architectures, and institutional frameworks into a unified explanatory model. The results highlight that effective responses to misinformation require coordinated strategies that combine educational, technological, and regulatory interventions. Strengthening media literacy and ensuring alignment between governance mechanisms and digital infrastructures are therefore essential for enhancing the resilience and reliability of contemporary communication systems.