ALGORITHMIC DISINFORMATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION: TOWARDS A COMMUNICATION MODEL FOR EXPLAINING THE PRODUCTION AND DISSEMINATION OF FAKE NEWS IN DIGITAL UNIVERSITY ENVIRONMENTS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31435/ijitss.3(51).2026.6263Keywords:
Algorithmic Disinformation; Fake News; Higher Education; Digital University Environments; Digital Communication; Algorithmic Governance; Information IntegrityAbstract
In recent years, digital university environments have undergone a profound transformation due to the increasing reliance on digital platforms and recommendation algorithms for accessing and disseminating information. This shift has contributed to the emergence of new forms of information disorder, most notably algorithmic disinformation.
The research problem lies in the limited number of studies that have addressed the mechanisms of fake news production and dissemination within higher education from a communication perspective that explains the role played by algorithms in reshaping information and knowledge flows within the university environment.
This study aims to develop a communication model that explains the relationship between digital algorithms and the production and dissemination of fake news in digital university environments, as well as to analyze its implications for knowledge construction among higher education students. The study adopts a descriptive-analytical approach supported by a critical review of recent scientific literature, along with a synthetic approach to integrate relevant concepts and theoretical models related to information disorder, algorithmic governance, and digital communication.
The expected findings indicate that recommendation, ranking, and personalization algorithms do not play a neutral role in information dissemination; rather, they contribute to amplifying attention-grabbing content, reinforcing information bubbles, and reproducing fake news within digital university environments, thereby affecting the quality of knowledge and students’ attitudes toward digital information.
Furthermore, the study proposes a communication model that explains the stages through which algorithmic disinformation passes, from content production to its re-dissemination within the academic community. This provides a theoretical framework that can be utilized in future research and in the design of university policies that promote information integrity and digital verification skills.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Nassima Sahnoune
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