The desinformation pandemic. How to protect yourself from desinformation and stand up for the truth

Abstract

In my master's thesis, I examine the forms, signs, and characteristics of disinformation & conspiracy theories and highlights the role of media and language in their spread. I have developed an educational game that takes players into a reinterpreted version of Wonderland to raise critical awareness on the matter. "Alice Behind the Lies" acts as an educational tool that helps players understand and recognize the importance of critical thinking and how disinformation and conspiracy theories can affect society. Based on the profound work by Götz-Votteler and Hespers "Alternative Realities? How Fake News and Conspiracy Theories Work and Why They Have Currency" (2019), the role of the media's attention economy and the impact of social media and algorithms on fake news and conspiracy theories will be highlighted. The power of language and its role in the spread of disinformation & conspiracy theories will also be explained and summarized.