Bosnia and Herzegovina

Author: Iris Knežević S tržišta se povlači opasni čips: Dvije osobe završile u bolnici, jedna preminula nakon konzumacije Link: S tržišta se povlači opasni čips: Dvije osobe završile u bolnici, jedna preminula nakon konzumacije – Radiosarajevo.ba. U vrtlogu senzacionalizma, nedavni članak portala Radio Sarajevo.ba “S tržišta se povlači opasni čips: Dvije osobe završile u bolnici, jedna preminula nakon konzumacije” pozornost je usmjerio na pretpostavljeni slučaj trovanja čipsom, ali i otvorio pitanje koliko možemo vjerovati vijestima koje nas dočekuju na naslovnim stranicama. Ovaj dramatični naslov odjekuje u javnosti, a potaknut je nedavnim slučajem trovanja pićem u Hrvatskoj. No, kako razotkriti vijesti koje se kriju iza senzacionalizma i pokušavaju zarobiti našu pažnju?Članak tvrdi da su pronađene izuzetno visoke razine kapsaicina u čipsu Hot Chip Challenge, izazivajući zdravstvene tegobe poput iritacije kože, mučnine, povraćanja i problema s disanjem. Ipak, fact-checking otkriva da nedostaju konkretni detalji o samom incidentu, a izvori informacija nisu jasno navedeni.Osim toga, članak naglašava povlačenje proizvoda s tržišta u nekoliko njemačkih pokrajina, pozivajući se na izvješće Fenix Magazina. Međutim, pažljivim istraživanjem nije pronađen relevantan izvor na spomenutom portalu. Kako smo prepoznali da je riječ o potencijalnom fake newsu? Prvenstveno, nedostatak specifičnih informacija o slučaju, nejasni izvori i senzacionalistički ton ukazali su na potrebu dodatne provjere. Dodatno, povezanost s nedavnim događajem u Hrvatskoj sugerira mogućnost iskorištavanja trenutnih događaja kako bi se stvorila lažna senzacionalnost. Kako se zaštititi od ovakvih prijetnji? Provjeravajte izvore informacija, istražujte više izvora, tražite potvrde i budite svjesni senzacionalizma. Ove vještine postaju ključne u doba digitalnih medija gdje se informacije šire nevjerojatnom brzinom. U Bosni i Hercegovini, nekoliko portala posvećenih provjeri informacija pomaže u filtriranju istinitih vijesti od lažnih. Neki od njih su Raskrinkavanje.ba (https://raskrinkavanje.ba/)  i Media.ba (https://media.ba/bs) .Upravo ovi kanali nude resurse za provjeru činjenica i analizu medijskih trendova.Možemo zaključiti kako ovaj incident s čipsom Hot Chip Challenge i senzacionalističko izvještavanje jasno pokazuje koliko je važno razviti kritičko razmišljanje i provjeravati informacije prije nego što ih prihvatimo kao istinite. English: A dangerous chip is being pulled from the market: Two people hospitalized, one deceased after consumption. Link: Dangerous chip being pulled from the market: Two people hospitalized, one deceased after consumption – Radiosarajevo.ba. Amidst the whirlwind of sensationalism, a recent article from the portal Radio Sarajevo.ba, titled “Dangerous chip being pulled from the market: Two people hospitalized, one deceased after consumption,” has drawn attention to a presumed case of chip poisoning and raised questions about the trustworthiness of news that greets us on the front pages. This dramatic headline resonates with the public, fueled by a recent case of beverage poisoning in Croatia. However, how can we unravel the news hidden behind sensationalism and trying to captivate our attention? The article claims that extremely high levels of capsaicin were found in the Hot Chip Challenge, causing health issues such as skin irritation, nausea, vomiting, and breathing problems. Nevertheless, fact-checking reveals the absence of specific details about the incident itself, and the sources of information are not clearly stated. Additionally, the article highlights the withdrawal of the product from the market in several German provinces, citing an report from Fenix Magazin. However, careful investigation did not find a relevant source on the mentioned portal. How did we recognize that this is a potential fake news? Primarily, the lack of specific information about the case, unclear sources, and a sensationalistic tone indicated the need for additional verification. Furthermore, the connection to a recent event in Croatia suggests the possibility of exploiting current events to create false sensationalism. How to protect yourself from such threats? Verify sources of information, explore multiple sources, seek confirmations, and be aware of sensationalism. These skills become crucial in the era of digital media where information spreads at an incredible speed. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, several portals dedicated to fact-checking help filter true news from false ones. Some of them are Raskrinkavanje.ba (https://raskrinkavanje.ba/) and Media.ba (https://media.ba/bs). These channels provide resources for fact-checking and analyzing media trends. In conclusion, the incident with Hot Chip Challenge and sensationalistic reporting clearly demonstrates the importance of developing critical thinking and verifying information before accepting it as true.

Digital technologies have made media truly ubiquitous. Whether originated in established publishers or created by users, media content permeates and informs every aspect of our life. Yet, in order to make the most of the wealth of content available to them, people need to be able to make out what they wish from what they don’t, what is suitable from what isn’t. They need a chart and a compass to reap the rewards and fight off the risks of navigating an ocean that looks alluring and forbidding at the same time. ‘Disinformation’, ‘fake news’ and ‘post-truth’ are terms that have become commonplace in contemporary public debates. The terms are, ultimately, modern parlance for perennial phenomena such as propaganda and conspiracy theories. The advent of, and broad access to, digital technologies and the internet provide school students with far more access to information than any previous generation. Yet, they can also generate “powerful echo chambers for disinformation campaigns” (European Commission, 2018). One of the biggest challenges in Bosnia and Herzegovina is the lack of formal media literacy education. Young people, being digital natives, often assume they are ready to easily navigate through the digital environment. However, they frequently lack the critical thinking skills needed to assess the credibility of information and sources. Inadequate media literacy education being present both in schools and at home, leaves many young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina vulnerable to manipulation. The country’s complex political landscape and situation further worsen the problem. Bosnia and Herzegovina is divided into two semi-autonomous entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska. Both of those are home to different ethnic groups. Disinformation often exploits based on this division, using language and identity as tools to deepen mistrust and share false narratives. The young population who is growing up in this environment may easily fall for disinformation that aligns with their respective ethnic backgrounds. Research “Children’s Media Habits and Parental Attitudes” done by UNICEF in 2020 showed that only one part of the parents set rules for how and when their child or children use information- communication devices, which only partially monitor whether children respect these rules. At the same time, children and parents lack adequate support for increasing their knowledge about the safe use of media and information-communication technologies, particularly institutional support. The consequence of this is that children and parents tend to believe that they know enough about this issue, while the data obtained indicates the opposite (e.g. data on exposure of children to television content that has negatively impacted them or on unsuitable content on the internet). (https://www.unicef.org/bih/media/5871/file/Children’s%20Media%20Habits%20and%20Parental%20Attitudes.pdf) It can be said that media literacy and misinformation are very important issues for young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina. While steps have been taken to address this problem, there is still a long way to go. Legitimizing media education, encouraging critical thinking and promoting digital literacy are important steps on a generation that is prepared to confront misinformation only through collective efforts and insights can Bosnia and Herzegovina hope to safeguard its information environment and prevent an informational divide among its young citizens.