Countering Disinformation in the Hybrid Information Environment: A Cross-Sectoral Analysis of Public Policy, Education, and Media Strategies

Abstract

Background: In the context of contemporary hybrid warfare, disinformation poses a significant threat to national security, civic cohesion, and democratic stability. The widespread use of social media, artificial intelligence, and visual content has amplified its influence on public opinion. Objective. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of current strategies for countering disinformation within the public policy, education, and media sectors.

Methods. The research is grounded in a content and quantitative analysis of 16 peer-reviewed scientific sources, selected from the international databases Scopus and Springer using relevant keywords.

 Results. The analysis reveals that the education sector demonstrates the most dynamic progress, particularly through the promotion of digital literacy and integration of critical thinking into curricula. Public policy has achieved consistent improvements due to national cybersecurity initiatives. In contrast, the media sector remains less responsive, highlighting the need to support independent fact-checking and strengthen media infrastructures.

Conclusions. The findings support the development of an aggregated model to assess the impact of various strategies on societal information resilience.

Unique Contribution: The study’s practical value lies in its potential application for shaping public policy, designing educational frameworks, and creating digital tools to detect and mitigate disinformation. The novelty of this research lies in its integrated cross-sectoral perspective, which combines public policy, education, and media approaches within a unified analytical model of information resilience. This enhances the applicability of the findings for both scholars and practitioners seeking to develop sustainable strategies against hybrid information threats.

Key Recommendation: To build comprehensive societal information resilience against disinformation, we strongly recommend a cross-sectoral strategy prioritizing investment in three key areas: (1) enhancing digital literacy and integrating critical thinking into educational curricula; (2) sustaining national cybersecurity initiatives within public policy frameworks; and (3) strategically supporting independent fact-checking networks to strengthen the responsiveness and infrastructure of the media sector.