Dr Joe Yizhou Xu, Associate Professor in the Department of Communication and Theatre Arts at Old Dominion University’s College of Arts and Letters, delivered a lecture entitled “Disinformation and Misinformation” to academic staff and students of Bohdan Khmelnytsky National University of Cherkasy (BKNUC).

The online guest lecture was organised by Svitlana Koval, Head of the International Relations Office and a lecturer in the Department of Journalism, Advertising, and PR Technologies.

“Today, we are pleased to welcome our guest speaker, whose research focuses on disinformation and misinformation. This topic is highly relevant to journalists and media professionals today, especially in Ukraine. At the same time, such meetings are crucial for fostering international academic cooperation, exchanging expertise, and integrating Ukrainian education and science into the global professional and research community,” said Svitlana Koval.

During his lecture, Dr Joe Yizhou Xu discussed the concept of digital sovereignty, defined as a state’s ability to regain control over its own digital policies, data, infrastructure, and technologies.

Particular attention was given to China’s internet censorship system, known as the Golden Shield Project or the Great Firewall of China, which has been in operation since 2003. Dr Joe Yizhou Xu explained that this sophisticated technological system blocks not only IP addresses but also specific keywords, while protectionist policies encourage the growth of domestic technology giants. Using Laos as an example, the speaker demonstrated China’s three-pronged media influence strategy, which combines radio, print media, and digital platforms. He also explained how social media is manipulated through “click farms”, where operators artificially inflate follower counts and view counts.

The lecturer said that media literacy today extends far beyond traditional fact-checking and requires an understanding of algorithms and the nature of digital platforms.

“For me, media literacy is now a much broader concept. It is not merely about being able to identify content in an article or verify facts. In many ways, media literacy is actually linked to platform literacy. Understanding how platforms such as TikTok or Facebook work is crucial,” emphasised Dr Joe Yizhou Xu.

The speaker discussed the threats posed by the rapid development of artificial intelligence, emphasising the need for legislation and the labelling of AI-generated content, as it will soon become impossible to distinguish it from content created by humans with the naked eye. Dr Joe Yizhou Xu also offered professional advice to students on working under tight deadlines, stressing that thoroughness and the cross-referencing of sources remain fundamental to quality journalism.

“It was interesting to hear about media literacy from an international expert, as the information environment and approaches to working with the media can differ considerably across countries. I found it particularly valuable to learn about digital platforms, the mechanisms behind the spread of disinformation, and the challenges posed by the development of artificial intelligence. Such meetings help us learn about international practices directly from a specialist and gain a better understanding of the challenges journalists face in various countries today. I am convinced that this experience will certainly prove useful in our future professional careers,” said Dariia Lymar, a second-year PR student.

Author: Anastasiia Shevchenko, second-year Journalism student