Max Alyukov
@max-alyukov.bsky.social
Leverhulme Early Career Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Manchester. Political sociologist interested in media & political communication in autocracies.
This study is a part of my project ‘Reflexive propaganda: authoritarian communication in a hybrid media environment’ supported by the @leverhulmetrust.bsky.social. 7/7
dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn...
dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn...
Whose 'Fakes' ? Disinformation Awareness and Motivated Reasoning in Wartime Russia
Accusations of disinformation now play a central role in contemporary political contestation. Beyond efforts to counter falsehoods, disinformation labels are in
dx.doi.org
January 5, 2026 at 1:43 PM
This study is a part of my project ‘Reflexive propaganda: authoritarian communication in a hybrid media environment’ supported by the @leverhulmetrust.bsky.social. 7/7
dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn...
dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn...
The broader takeaway: in saturated authoritarian media environments, raising awareness of disinformation does not necessarily build resilience. It can strengthen propaganda by giving citizens ready-made tools for epistemic self-defence. 6/7
January 5, 2026 at 1:42 PM
The broader takeaway: in saturated authoritarian media environments, raising awareness of disinformation does not necessarily build resilience. It can strengthen propaganda by giving citizens ready-made tools for epistemic self-defence. 6/7
These effects are asymmetric. Political narratives equip regime supporters with cognitive tools to dismiss counter-attitudinal information as disinformation. The mechanism is weaker among regime critics, reflecting the regime’s monopolisation of the disinformation label. 5/7
January 5, 2026 at 1:42 PM
These effects are asymmetric. Political narratives equip regime supporters with cognitive tools to dismiss counter-attitudinal information as disinformation. The mechanism is weaker among regime critics, reflecting the regime’s monopolisation of the disinformation label. 5/7
Exposure to political narratives further amplifies this tendency. Both pro- and anti-regime messages provide additional cognitive resources that help individuals discard uncongenial information as ‘disinformation’. 4/7
January 5, 2026 at 1:41 PM
Exposure to political narratives further amplifies this tendency. Both pro- and anti-regime messages provide additional cognitive resources that help individuals discard uncongenial information as ‘disinformation’. 4/7
Key finding: disinformation awareness feeds into motivated reasoning. Politically engaged citizens with strong partisan identities are significantly more likely to use the label ‘disinformation’ to dismiss information coming from outgroup sources. 3/7
January 5, 2026 at 1:41 PM
Key finding: disinformation awareness feeds into motivated reasoning. Politically engaged citizens with strong partisan identities are significantly more likely to use the label ‘disinformation’ to dismiss information coming from outgroup sources. 3/7
I combine an online experiment exposing participants to political narratives with an open-ended task tracing individuals’ associations with the concept of disinformation in wartime Russia, where the Kremlin has weaponised disinformation accusations to delegitimise critics. 2/7
January 5, 2026 at 1:40 PM
I combine an online experiment exposing participants to political narratives with an open-ended task tracing individuals’ associations with the concept of disinformation in wartime Russia, where the Kremlin has weaponised disinformation accusations to delegitimise critics. 2/7