Media Influence: How Distorted Narratives Impact Public Cybersecurity Awareness

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The media plays a vital role in the public’s understanding of cybersecurity. However, the media’s primary economic model requires viewership to sell advertising space or movie tickets, which can sometimes affect storylines. The rampant misinformation and disinformation occasionally presented to increase viewership significantly distort people’s perceptions of cyber threats and best practices.

Whether a movie producer is speeding up a hacking scene or a non-expert journalist misinterprets technical data, the information presented influences society’s understanding of cybersecurity. Uniformed people may think there is nothing they can do to prevent cybercrime due to this disinformation, so they spend little effort conducting themselves safely while online. If movies were realistic, people would better understand how best cyber practices like strong passwords and two-factor authorization can help protect their online data. In another example, news reporting on the safety of 5G technology shows how media outlets can misinform viewers by misrepresenting information. This accidental inaccuracy can cause public fear and slow infrastructure development.

Media’s understanding of social forces increases viewership and affects society’s cybersecurity knowledge. Misinformation and disinformation influence people’s perception of cyber threats and best cyber practices. If media narratives were more realistic and accurate, people would be less fearful and more likely to practice safer online behaviors.