Raluca Buturoiu

Romania and Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen Area has been the subject of international controversy and public debate in recent years. In this context, disinformation narratives about the consequences of their integration into the Schengen Area have become increasingly prominent. This paper investigates the impact of such narratives on public attitudes toward the European Union (EU). Using an experimental design (N = 895 in Romania, N = 912 in Bulgaria), we examine how exposure to Schengen-related disinformation shapes Euroskeptic sentiment in both countries. Findings show that disinformation is associated with increased Euroskeptic attitudes. In Romania, the effect is consistent across all types of media environments (mainstream, alternative, and social), suggesting broad susceptibility regardless of source. In Bulgaria, the effect is significant only when the disinformation content originates from mainstream media, with no significant changes resulting from exposure via alternative or social media. These effects persist across ideological orientations and are not moderated by how important individuals perceive the Schengen issue to be, indicating that effects of disinformation operate rather independently. Overall, the findings underscore the need to consider both the content and the media environment in which disinformation circulates when assessing its influence on public opinion in Eastern European contexts.

Recent global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicts in Ukraine, and elections have significantly transformed news engagement, often leading to information overload and pushing many individuals to disengage from traditional news channels in favor of algorithm-driven social media platforms. Understanding these shifts is important because of their implications for informed citizenry and its association with democracy. Given the context, the current study explores age-related differences in news consumption patterns among Romanian audiences using focus group discussions. The sample includes two age cohorts: younger adults (aged 20–30), or digital natives, and older adults (aged 55 and above), whose media habits were shaped before the digital era. Thematic analysis and natural language processing techniques revealed clear age-group distinctions. Main findings suggest that younger participants tend to consume news via social media platforms, favoring algorithmically curated, emotionally engaging, short-form content. They strategically avoid distressing or repetitive news content. On the other hand, older adults still rely on traditional media like television, emphasizing source credibility, comprehensive coverage, and civic responsibility. When asked about what a healthy media diet is, there are further generational contrasts. Younger individuals viewed media consumption as an individual responsibility. By contrast, older adults emphasized the collective responsibility of educational and institutional systems to guide news consumption practices. These findings highlight the profound impact of digital platforms on generational news consumption behaviors, emphasizing the need for tailored media literacy initiatives, journalism practices, and policy frameworks to address age-group divides and contribute to the emergence of a healthier information ecosystem.

In recent research, the concept of “media diets” has received increased attention. However, the concept remains vague and not fully developed, and rarely, if at all, do researchers ask citizens about their perceptions of their own and others’ media diets. With the ongoing transformation of the media landscape, there has never been a more pertinent time to explore these perceptions, which this research intends to do. The main goal of this paper then is to identify recommendations addressing recently voiced concerns about news consumption patterns in contemporary society to relevant stakeholders. Empirically, the study is based on a series of focus group interviews with younger (18–25 years old) and older (over 55) adults in five European countries (Germany, Poland, Romania, Spain, and the UK). Our results show important cohort differences as well as cross-country similarities, which are pertinent insights for the formulation of stakeholder recommendations.

As they approach voting age, young people aged 17 to 19 years old are at a significant turning point in their political development. In this formative stage, their perceptions and understanding of the political landscape depend, among other things, on the diversity of information sources and content to which they are exposed to on a daily basis. In such a context, political knowledge plays a key role in informed decision-making for first-time voters. However, many young people tend to overestimate their levels of political knowledge, a phenomenon explained by the Dunning-Kruger effect. This study examines factors influencing both factual and perceived political knowledge among Romanian high school students (N=519). The main findings reveal a significant discrepancy between the actual political knowledge of young people and their perceived understanding of political matters. Political efficacy (the belief in one’s ability to understand and engage in politics) proves to be a strong predictor of both factual and perceived political knowledge. Those with high levels of political efficacy are not only more informed but also believe they know more about politics than their peers. Furthermore, results show that young people who believe they know more than their peers about political affairs consume more mainstream media news, but no other correlation of political knowledge with news consumption is significant. Additionally, while male students perceive themselves as more knowledgeable than females, no significant gender differences in factual knowledge were observed. These findings highlight the need for educational strategies to improve both political knowledge and efficacy, contributing to a more informed and participatory youth electorate in Romania.

As they approach voting age, young people aged 17 to 19 years old are at a significant turning point in their political development. In this formative stage, their perceptions and understanding of the political landscape depend, among other things, on the diversity of information sources and content to which they are exposed to on a daily basis. In such a context, political knowledge plays a key role in informed decision-making for first-time voters. However, many young people tend to overestimate their levels of political knowledge, a phenomenon explained by the Dunning-Kruger effect. This study examines factors influencing both factual and perceived political knowledge among Romanian high school students (N=519). The main findings reveal a significant discrepancy between the actual political knowledge of young people and their perceived understanding of political matters. Political efficacy (the belief in one’s ability to understand and engage in politics) proves to be a strong predictor of both factual and perceived political knowledge. Those with high levels of political efficacy are not only more informed but also believe they know more about politics than their peers. Furthermore, results show that young people who believe they know more than their peers about political affairs consume more mainstream media news, but no other correlation of political knowledge with news consumption is significant. Additionally, while male students perceive themselves as more knowledgeable than females, no significant gender differences in factual knowledge were observed. These findings highlight the need for educational strategies to improve both political knowledge and efficacy, contributing to a more informed and participatory youth electorate in Romania.