In Kosovo, the number of citizens who use the Internet is increasing, from year to year.

Also, the number of users of social networking platforms is increasing.

Source: E-commerce4All

The European Online Trade Report, presented by the E-Commerce4All platform, compares CEFTA countries, and Kosovo has the highest percentage of internet users at 97 percent - the highest compared to other countries.

(https://ecommerce4all.eu/ecommerce-data/internet-use-and-e-shoppers/)

But, at the same time, the use of the Internet and the use of social networking platforms have often been used to make misinformation, propaganda, news that promote image and credibility damage as well as conspiracies by COVID-19, etc.

That there are many information disorders, untrue news, has been confirmed by many reports of local and international organizations that have monitored traditional media, online media and social platforms.

Also, during this time there has been an increase of news with anti-Kosovo narrative in Albanian language, in online media, in which it is not known who is the owner, the editor-in-chief or the journalists.

This is confirmed by the reporting of news from online portals - social networks and public influence by the organization Democracy for Development (D4D).

"The main findings of this research show that during the period January-March there was a large number of news of external influence, where most of this report includes narratives about Russia's aggression on Ukraine and its impact on regional relations. - especially those between Kosovo and Serbia ", it is said in the main findings of the report.

So, the report has also monitored the way online media in Kosovo have reported on Russia's aggression in Ukraine and what kind of narrative has been used in both Albanian and Serbian.

Also characteristic of this report, which has emerged from the monitoring of online portals and social networks, are articles containing harsh language, hate speech and news with exaggerated headlines.

According to the report, it is worth mentioning that in the category of external influence articles there was news with conspiratorial content.

"In the sample in Albanian language, 76 online portals, 203 pages and 10 groups on the social network Facebook and 32 accounts on the social network Twitter were monitored.

From the monitoring of these online portals and social networks, 154 articles have been identified that have information disorder content.

Whereas, in the sample in Serbian language, 55 online portals, 16 pages and a group on the social network Facebook and 18 Twitter accounts were monitored, in which case 23 articles with information disorder resulted, where the total number of articles with information disorder for both samples it was 176 ", it is said in the D4D report.

Source: D4D

That the situation is the same when we are misinformed that can come from social networks and from media without credibility and without impression, can also be great and can have consequences in misinforming the public and misleading information.

The Kosovo Center for Security Studies (KCSS) has also published the research report "The Impact of Misinformation and Political Polarization During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Kosovo".

This report says, among other things, that serious and credible media in Kosovo were challenged for credible and professional news about COVID-19 with the presence of conspiratorial news, fake news even without professional resources on social media and not very credible online media.

"The presence of conspiracy theories, misinformation and false news on social networks in Kosovo, had detrimental effects on the public perception of the pandemic as a threat and the acceptance of institutional constraints on pandemic prevention," the report said.

Moreover, the report says that the main conspiracy theories and misinformation against vaccination and in general about COVID-19 came on social platforms like Youtube and Facebook.

"In line with global trends, the first category promoted the idea that COVID-19 was created by 'large pharmaceutical industry' organizations that care about their business interests.

This narrative was adapted to the local context and the citizens of Kosovo were targeted through social networking platforms, including Facebook and YouTube, both influential across generations.

"Social media resources were filled with posts claiming that powerful international organizations and individuals, such as George Soros, Bill Gates, the Rockefeller Foundation, were the organizers of the pandemic," the KCSS report said.

So, in this aspect, when in Kosovo there is a high percentage of internet use and access is very easy, professional media, media experts and journalists' institutions and not only should focus more on more professional content, with credible sources and first-hand and reliable information.

Attempts to influence and challenge various groups such as conspiracies around COVID-19 and other outside influences news will continue in the future but the media must fulfill their primary mission, information, trust and responsibility.

/Kallxo.com/