Psychological effects of fake news – literature review

"Fake news is one of the most discussed topics in the last few years. During the COVID-19 pandemic and during the Ukrainian war, the dangerous nature of this phenomenon became more obvious. More politics and more journalists are using now (fake) news as a weapon. Modern war must be considered in its informational part also. So, a correct evaluation of the news is an important skill for their consumers. Which are the psychological effects of fake news on the audience? Which is the psychological profile of the people that consume fake news? Which people are more vulnerable to suffering its negative effects? Why do people believe and share fake information? How can we explain the failure to distinguish accurate from inaccurate news? We studied the recent research in order to find the answers. This study is a literature review on the argument of fake news, its psychological effects on people and some explanations for this phenomenon. "