**Appendix B**

Guide for the "fake news and potentially manipulative content in digital media— generation approach" focus group.

Place: Date:

Participant number and year of birth

(M/F):

Moderator:

A qualitative research work into the attitudes of members of the young and middleaged generations on the perception of "fake news" and potentially manipulative content is conducted by Ms Dragana Trninic, PhD, Ms Andjela Kupresanin Vukelic, PhD, and Ms Jovana Bokan, MA, for the purpose of writing a scholarly paper. With regard to this research, no personal data of the participants shall be required, so their anonymity is guaranteed. The interview is designed as a panel discussion, with all the participants responding to the moderator's questions individually, without any previous suggestion or soliciting on the part of the moderator. The participants are entitled not to answer the question if they choose to.

#### 1. THE NOTION OF "FAKE NEWS" AND POTENTIALLY MANIPULATIVE CON-TENT IN DIGITAL MEDIA

How do you usually gain information and from what source (by means of digital media, social media, or some other way)? Do you know what "fake news" is? Do you know what disinformation is? Are you familiar with the notions of clickbait and satire? Have you ever encountered such phenomena? If yes, where (on portals, social media, messaging applications)? How often do you encounter such content?

2. RECOGNITION OF "FAKE NEWS" AND POTENTIALLY MANIPULATIVE CON-TENT IN DIGITAL MEDIA

How do you recognise "fake news"? How do you recognise disinformation? Would you be able to recognise a fake photograph or fake video footage? Are you familiar with some tools for the recognition and verification of fake photographs and instances of fake video footage? Can you recognize an automated profile on social media? Can you verify the domain of an Internet portal or the authenticity of a Facebook or some other page on social media? Do you know how to browse removed pages and content? Are you familiar with the advanced Google search?

3. VERIFICATION OF "FAKE NEWS" AND POTENTIALLY MANIPULATIVE CON-TENT IN DIGITAL MEDIA

How do you verify a piece of news if you doubt its authenticity? Do you check on the source of information (whether it is primary or secondary one or whether it has been stated at all), do you verify the credibility, competence, and biasness of the collocutor, or do you search for the same piece of news in other media companies? do you search on the Internet using key words? Do you verify the transparency of the portal/page and the imprint? Do you analyse the contents of a piece of news and compare them with similar previous releases? Do you read the whole text or just the title?

4. RELATIONSHIP TOWARDS "FAKE NEWS" AND POTENTIALLY MANIPULA-TIVE CONTENT IN DIGITAL MEDIA

What is your relationship towards "fake news" and potentially manipulative content? Does their presence in the media bother you? How do you react upon coming across a piece of news whose content is questionable? Do you share or approve of the content that you cannot verify? Have you ever thought of the impact of disinformation on the public? Do you think that unverified content may do harm to the public or certain individuals? Do you find yourself responsible when you create and share some content in the virtual space? Have you ever shared or approved of the content that you could not verify?

#### 5. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BUILDING RESISTANCE TO "FAKE NEWS" AND POTENTIALLY MANIPULATIVE CONTENT IN DIGITAL MEDIA

According to your opinion, what is the best method for building resistance to "fake news" and potentially manipulative content in digital media? How can each individual protect themselves from such content and still gain necessary information? What would you recommend?
