Croatia’s battle against misinformation: Inside the Museum of Fake News

Croatia welcomes a fascinating addition to its museum scene: the Museum of Fake News (Muzej lažnih vijesti).

Developed by the Institute for New Media and Electronic Democracy (InMed), this project highlights the dangers of misinformation in today’s media.

The idea for the Museum of Fake News grew out of InMed’s ongoing efforts to address challenges in technology, journalism, and society.

For over 25 years, InMed has hosted the “Information Technology and Journalism” conference in Dubrovnik, bringing together global experts to tackle emerging issues in media integrity.

InMed works closely with local and international partners, including SOMA (Social Observatory for Disinformation and Social Media Analysis), to combat fake news. SOMA connects institutions focused on detecting and analysing fake news, helping InMed tap into a broad range of expertise to tackle the problem.

While the physical Museum of Fake News is still being developed, InMed has launched a digital version.

The museum’s website, mlv.hr, offers articles on fake news, fact-checking guides, and media literacy resources for the public.

A notable feature of the museum is its collection of testimonies from Croatian journalism, academia, and science.

These firsthand stories shed light on the real impacts of fake news and stress the importance of critical thinking in today’s media.

Overall, the Museum of Fake News aims to engage audiences and promote media literacy.

By encouraging people to question and verify information, it hopes to combat misinformation and encourage responsible news consumption, empowering individuals to navigate the media landscape wisely and ethically.