Susceptibility of the Estonian Russian-speaking Audience to the Spread of Fake News and Information Disorder in the News Media

Abstract

The multiplicity of infospheres in a country, especially in the countries with a significant proportion of minorities, creates polarization and distrust towards state institutions. This article addresses the problem by exploring the Estonian Russian-speaking minority’s attitudes towards news media content regarding fake news and information disorder. The semi-structured interviews were conducted with Russian native speakers living in Estonia (N=29), using stimulus materials to induce reactions related to elements of trust in the materials. The results show that interviewers have diverse media preferences, a critical eye for the news, more trust Estonian Russian-language media, and are rather able to recognize fake news and information disorder. The study challenges the widespread understanding that the Estonian Russian-speaking minority lives in an isolated infosphere of Russia. I argue that more attention should be drawn to the information quality in the news aimed at this audience.