Conceptualizing the Media Ecosystem: Addressing Misinformation, Disinformation, Fake News, and Deepfakes — Key Insights from Interviews with Professional Journalists

Abstract

As technology evolves rapidly and online content—particularly on social media—is widely consumed, the spread of misinformation, disinformation, fake news, and deepfakes has become a critical concern. While numerous studies recognize the severity of these phenomena and their negative societal impact, significant conceptual ambiguities persist. To address these gaps, this research integrates insights from relevant scholarly literature and in-depth interviews with professional journalists to refine the conceptual frameworks of misinformation, disinformation, fake news, and deepfakes, clarifying their distinctions. It may contribute to communication research by enhancing the conceptual understanding of key media ecosystem concepts and guiding strategies for media management and literacy development.