Manipulative messages in the headlines of media sources

Abstract

In this article, the author analyzes headlines on digital platforms of media sources, paying special attention to the manipulative content of the delivered messages. The research is based on the material of three websites, the authors of which manipulate the emotions of the recipients while providing information – “Tarasova Pravda“, “Naspravdi.Today”, and “Politeka”. The basic aspects of suggestive influence and manipulation of information during the speech act are defined and explained.

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, understanding the linguistic mechanisms of manipulation and suggestion in written texts is becoming increasingly crucial. This study not only sheds light on the deceptive methods employed in the headlines of Ukrainian-language online media resources but also highlights the importance of fostering media literacy among consumers. By enhancing awareness of manipulative tactics and promoting critical thinking skills, individuals will be better equipped to discern fact from fiction, ultimately contributing to a more well-informed society.

The advancement and proliferation of cutting-edge information and communication technologies have led to an escalation in dissemination of manipulative texts. It can be posited that suggestion operates as a crucial instrument of verbal manipulation in written materials. Consequently, our investigation primarily focuses on examining manipulative texts (specifically, headlines within the context of this article) concerning their suggestive component. The research vectors for this issue encompass the linguistic analysis of manipulative texts for categorization purposes, recognition of suggestion components, exploration of linguistic methods employed for disinformation, and countermeasures against verbal manipulation. The objective of this article is to scrutinize the headlines of news articles featured on Ukrainian-language online media resources (based on materials from three websites: “Tarasova Pravda”, “Naspravdi.Today”, and “Politeka”), as well as to detect, classify, and interpret linguistic techniques of manipulation and suggestion used in messages, excluding the proportion of manipulative content.

The conducted linguistic analysis based on the 100 headlines gives reason to claim that 66.67 % of the article headlines in the three news web portals we have investigated contain messages aimed at manipulating emotions – “Tarasova Pravda” (33.33 %), “Naspravdi.Today” (76.67 %), and “Politeka” (90 %).

Information about the author:

Taras Holota – PhD Student of the Department of the Ukrainian Language and Applied Linguistics of the Educational and Scientific Institute of Philology; Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (Ukraine).

E-mail: targolus@gmail.com

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