MEDIA FAKES IN THE INFORMATION SPACE OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

MEDIA FAKES IN THE INFORMATION SPACE OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

Author:  A.G. Gurochkina, D.A. Makurova

Affiliation:  Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia

Abstract:  The paper explores the grave issue for modern-day research of mass media communication – fake news.
The study aims at identifying cognitive bases and mechanisms of formation of media fakes about coronavirus. The first part of the article defines fake news and delineates salient characteristics of fake news. The second part of the article reveals some common semantic macrostructures of media fakes about the virus based on the analysis of social media posts and news articles. The third part of the article presents and describes the key strategies and tactics of manipulation and information distortion typical of fake news about the virus.
The analysis reveals essential cognitive and pragmalinguistic components of coronavirus media fakes.
The results of the undertaken research are relevant to further exploring other features of fake news and can be implemented as a guide for identifying fake news in order to reduce the mass addressee’s susceptibility to fakes.

Keywords:  mass-media, media fakes, fake news, false news, false information, coronavirus.

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For citation:  Gurochkina, A. G.,  Makurova, D. A. (2021). Media fakes in the information space of the coronavirus pandemic. Voprosy Kognitivnoy Lingvistiki, 3, 67-74. (In Russ.)

Pages:  67-74