Yannis Theocharis takes part in a discussion at the Athens Alitheia Forum with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis
Yannis Theocharis participates in a panel discussion with the Greek Prime Minister - Kyriakos Mitsotakis and noted Journalist - Yannis Pretenteris, at the two-day Athens Alitheia Forum organized by the General Secretariat of Communication and Information of the Government of Greece, on the subject of dealing with fake news and toxic speech in public debate.
He presented evidence of misinformation, pointing out that the public's perception of the extent of fake news is often excessive. Misinformation makes up about 1% of the total online information as opposed to citizen estimates of 30% to 40%. The problem, he stressed, is unevenly distributed. According to research data, 1% of users are responsible for about 70% of the misinformation circulated online. At the same time, he underlined that the average user of social networks not only acts as a passive recipient of information, but often filters and rejects content. He also noted that digital platforms are not just mediars of information, but "architects" of the public sphere, as they work with algorithms that determine what users see.