CONSPIRACY BELIEFS, DISINFORMATION, AND FACTUAL RELATIVISM IN EAST-CENTRAL EUROPE: INSIGHTS FROM A COMPARATIVE SURVEY IN 2024
Modern disinformation operates not by convincing people of a single truth but by overwhelming them with conflicting narratives, fostering confusion and doubt and- about objective facts and reality. Factual relativism is a hotbed of belief in conspiracy theories and fake news and can have an impact on elections.
Regional hubs against disinformation under the European Digital Media Observatory (HDMO and CEDMO) joint forces to measure the susceptibility of the Hungarian, Czech and Slovak society to disinformation, conspiracy theories and factual relativism. The survey also explored respondents’ views on geopolitical issues, their perceptions of the challenges facing the EU, and their attitudes toward Russian aggression against Ukraine. The survey was implemented by BROD in Bulgaria, allowing for comparative analysis across four countries.
Key Insights:
- Conspiracy Thinking and Disinformation Susceptibility: differences across countries
- The survey revealed significant regional differences in resistance to disinformation and conspiracy theories:
- Czech and Slovak societies demonstrated higher resilience
- Hungarian society exhibited a chronic susceptibility to disinformation and conspiracy narratives, with Bulgaria occupying a middle ground, leaning closer to Hungary.
- False beliefs strongly overlap: belief in one conspiracy theory or disinformation narrative often correlates with acceptance of others.
- Actual Relativism is widespread Across the Region
- Skepticism toward facts and objective reality has reached alarming levels in all four countries. In Hungary, this “factual relativism” is particularly pronounced, driven by deep mistrust of the media.
- Over two-thirds of respondents expressed doubt about the credibility of information presented as fact, creating fertile ground for any kind of disinformation
- Election Interference Concerns: enemies everywhere
- Widespread fears of election interference were evident, with perceptions varying across the region
- Hungary and Slovakia: Concerns focus on both Russia and the United States
- Czech Republic: Russia is viewed as the primary threat.
- Bulgaria: The United States is perceived as the most likely actor to interfere.
- Support for Ukraine and the EU’s Role
- The region shows signs of “Ukraine fatigue.” Support for military aid to Ukraine is low, with Hungarians being the least supportive (10%) and Czechs the most supportive (25%).
- Approval of non-military support and sanctions against Russia remains higher but still limited across the surveyed countries.
- Political Polarization and Conspiracy Beliefs
- Political polarization fosters disinformation and conspiracy theories. Hungarian society, in particular, is deeply divided, with both government and opposition voters seeking echo chambers aligned with their political views.
- Comparative Perceptions of Regional Leadership
- Hungarians and Slovaks admire Czechia as the most developed country in the region, while perceptions of Hungary’s performance remain notably low, especially in Czechia.
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