Intercultural Communication Ethics in the Digital Age: Challenges of Misinformation and Propaganda a Systematic Review

Firman; Syarifuddin Dollah; Sahril Nur; Nur Aeni

doi:10.24256/itj.v6i2.7765

Authors

Firman Universitas Muhammadiyah Makassar, Indonesia
Syarifuddin Dollah Universitas Negeri Makassar, Indonesia, Indonesia
Sahril Nur Universitas Negeri Makassar, Indonesia, Indonesia
Nur Aeni Universitas Negeri Makassar, Indonesia, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24256/itj.v6i2.7765

Keywords:

Intercultural Communication Ethics, Digital Misinformation and Propaganda, Media and Information Literacy

Abstract

This systematic review examines the complex challenges to intercultural communication ethics posed by the proliferation of misinformation and digital propaganda. It synthesises current research on the spread and impact of these phenomena, highlighting their effects on intercultural relations and social cohesion. The review identifies gaps in existing literature, particularly regarding strategies for promoting constructive online dialogue and ethical frameworks for digital communication. Findings emphasise the importance of media and information literacy in empowering individuals to evaluate information and make informed decisions. The review also explores the ethical considerations surrounding the use of AI in marketing and recommends educational interventions focused on multiculturalism and the dynamics of privilege. The conclusion calls for active engagement with ethical experts to safeguard social media users, enhance trust in research, and foster intercultural competence to combat misinformation and promote responsible online engagement.

References

Abdikarimova, M., Tashieva, N., kyzy, A. T., & Abdullaeva, Z. (2021). Developing Students Verbal Communication Skills and Speech Etiquette in English Language Teaching. Open Journal of Modern Linguistics, 11(1), 83. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojml.2021.111007

Agrawal, R., Alfaro, L. de, Ballarin, G., Moret, S., Pierro, M. D., Tacchini, E., & Vedova, M. L. D. (2019). Identifying Fake News from Twitter Sharing Data: A Large-Scale Study. arXiv (Cornell University). https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.1902.07207

Al-Ansi, A. M., Hazaimeh, M., Hendi, A., AL-hrinat, J., & Adwan, G. (2023). How do social media influencers change adolescents’ behavior? An evidence from Middle East Countries. Heliyon, 9(5). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15983

Alsaleh, A. (2024). The impact of technological advancement on culture and society. Scientific Reports, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-83995-z

Balendra, S. (2025). Meta’s AI moderation and free speech: Ongoing challenges in the Global South. 1. https://doi.org/10.1017/cfl.2025.5

Brady, W. J., Jackson, J. C., Lindström, B., & Crockett, M. J. (2023). Algorithm-mediated social learning in online social networks [Review of Algorithm-mediated social learning in online social networks]. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 27(10), 947. Elsevier BV. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2023.06.008

Bryła, P., Chatterjee, S., & Ciabiada, B. (2022). The Impact of Social Media Marketing on Consumer Engagement in Sustainable Consumption: A Systematic Literature Review [Review of The Impact of Social Media Marketing on Consumer Engagement in Sustainable Consumption: A Systematic Literature Review]. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(24), 16637. Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192416637

Caled, D., & Silva, M. J. (2021). Digital media and misinformation: An outlook on multidisciplinary strategies against manipulation. Journal of Computational Social Science, 5(1), 123. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42001-021-00118-8

Calo, R., Coward, C., Spiro, E. S., Starbird, K., & West, J. D. (2021). How do you solve a problem like misinformation? Science Advances, 7(50). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abn0481

Chang, H.-C. H., & Ferrara, E. (2022). Comparative analysis of social bots and humans during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Computational Social Science, 5(2), 1409. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42001-022-00173-9

Chong, W. K., & Patwa, N. (2023). The Value of Integrity: Empowering SMEs with Ethical Marketing Communication. Sustainability, 15(15), 11673. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151511673

Demangeot, C., Kipnis, E., Pullig, C., Cross, S. N. N., Emontspool, J., Galalae, C., Grier, S. A., Rosenbaum, M. S., & Best, S. F. (2018). Constructing a bridge to multicultural marketplace well-being: A consumer-centered framework for marketer action. Journal of Business Research, 100, 339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.12.026

Di, Y., Liu, X., Li, J., & Han, L. (2022). Cross-Cultural Communication on Social Media: Review From the Perspective of Cultural Psychology and Neuroscience [Review of Cross-Cultural Communication on Social Media: Review From the Perspective of Cultural Psychology and Neuroscience]. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. Frontiers Media. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.858900

Fernández, M., Bellogín, A., & Cantador, I. (2021). Analysing the Effect of Recommendation Algorithms on the Amplification of Misinformation. arXiv (Cornell University). https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2103.14748

Ganapini, M. (2023). Beyond Harm: an Ethical Framework to Tackle Misinformation on Social Media. arXiv (Cornell University). https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2306.02964

Griffiths, H., Keirns, N., Strayer, E., Cody-Rydzewski, S., Scaramuzzo, G., Sadler, T., Vyain, S., Bry, J., Jones, F., & University, R. (2015). Introduction to race and ethnicity.

Guess, A. M., Lerner, M., Lyons, B., Montgomery, J., Nyhan, B., Reifler, J., & Sircar, N. (2020). A digital media literacy intervention increases discernment between mainstream and false news in the United States and India. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117(27), 15536. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1920498117

Hari, H., Sharma, A., Verma, S., & Chaturvedi, R. (2024). Exploring Ethical Frontiers of Artificial Intelligence in Marketing. Journal of Responsible Technology, 100103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrt.2024.100103

Hemker, S., Herrando, C., & Constantinides, E. (2021). The Transformation of Data Marketing: How an Ethical Lens on Consumer Data Collection Shapes the Future of Marketing. Sustainability, 13(20), 11208. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132011208

Holtorf, A., Danyliv, A., Krause, A., Hanna, A., Venable, Y., Mattingly, T. J., Huang, L.-Y., Pierre, M., Silva, A. S., & Walsh, D. (2023). Ethical and legal considerations in social media research for health technology assessment: conclusions from a scoping review [Review of Ethical and legal considerations in social media research for health technology assessment: conclusions from a scoping review]. International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care, 39(1). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0266462323000399

Inwood, O., & Zappavigna, M. (2021). Ambient affiliation, misinformation and moral panic: Negotiating social bonds in a YouTube internet hoax. Discourse & Communication, 15(3), 281. https://doi.org/10.1177/1750481321989838

Jayakumar, S., Ang, B., & Anwar, N. D. (2020). Disinformation and Fake News. In Springer eBooks. Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-5876-4

Kellner, D., & Share, J. (2007). Critical media literacy is not an option. Learning Inquiry, 1(1), 59. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11519-007-0004-2

Khader, M., Allen, J., Njeri, M., Zimmerman, T., Rosellini, A., & Eaves, T. (2020). Impact of cultural and religious literacy: Implications for information literacy. Proceedings of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 57(1). https://doi.org/10.1002/pra2.379

Khan, S. (2019). Negotiating (dis)Trust to Advance Democracy through Media and Information Literacy. Postdigital Science and Education, 2(1), 170. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42438-019-00072-9

Kukhar, L. (2021). The Role of Media Literacy in the Educational Field in the Conditions of a Pandemic. Professional Education Methodology Theory and Technologies, 13, 152. https://doi.org/10.31470/2415-3729-2021-13-152-166

Kuznetsova, E., Makhortykh, M., Sydorova, M., Urman, A., Vitulano, I., & Stolze, M. (2024). Algorithmically Curated Lies: How Search Engines Handle Misinformation about US Biolabs in Ukraine. arXiv (Cornell University). https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2401.13832

Lee, A. Y., Moore, R. C., & Hancock, J. T. (2023). Designing misinformation interventions for all: Perspectives from AAPI, Black, Latino, and Native American community leaders on misinformation educational efforts. https://doi.org/10.37016/mr-2020-111

Li, F., Larimo, J., & Leonidou, L. C. (2022). Social media in marketing research: Theoretical bases, methodological aspects, and thematic focus. Psychology and Marketing, 40(1), 124. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21746

Madan, G. D. (2022). Understanding misinformation in India: The case for a meaningful regulatory approach for social media platforms. arXiv (Cornell University). https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2207.01508

Mansoor, H. M. H. (2024). Media and information literacy as a model of societal balance: A grounded meta-synthesis. Heliyon, 10(3). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25380

Mateus, J.-C. (2021). Media literacy for children: Empowering citizens for a mediatized world. Global Studies of Childhood, 11(4), 373. https://doi.org/10.1177/20436106211014903

Matter, D., Kuznetsova, E., Vziatysheva, V., Vitulano, I., & Pfeffer, J. (2023a). Temporally Stable Multilayer Network Embeddings: A Longitudinal Study of Russian Propaganda. arXiv (Cornell University). https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2307.10264

Matter, D., Kuznetsova, E., Vziatysheva, V., Vitulano, I., & Pfeffer, J. (2023b). Temporally Stable Multilayer Network Embeddings: A Longitudinal Study of Russian Propaganda. 1. https://doi.org/10.1109/snams60348.2023.10375410

Metzler, H., & García, D. (2023). Social Drivers and Algorithmic Mechanisms on Digital Media [Review of Social Drivers and Algorithmic Mechanisms on Digital Media]. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 19(5), 735. SAGE Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1177/17456916231185057

Migkos, S. P., Giannakopoulos, N. T., & Σακάς, Δ. Π. (2025). Impact of Influencer Marketing on Consumer Behavior and Online Shopping Preferences. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202504.0787.v1

Miller, V. (2012). A Crisis of Presence: On-line Culture and Being in the World. Space and Polity, 16(3), 265. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562576.2012.733568

Mokadem, S. S. E. (2023). The Effect of Media Literacy on Misinformation and Deep Fake Video Detection. Arab Media and Society., 35. https://doi.org/10.70090/sm23emlm

Otieno, P. (2024). The Impact of Social Media on Political Polarization. Journal of Communication, 4(1), 56. https://doi.org/10.47941/jcomm.1686

Pennycook, G., & Rand, D. G. (2019). Fighting misinformation on social media using crowdsourced judgments of news source quality. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 116(7), 2521. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1806781116

Pérez-Escoda, A., García-Ruiz, R., Zubizarreta, A. C., & Aguaded, I. (2017). Media Literacy and Digital Skills for Enhancing Critical Thinking in Networked Society. 43, 1. https://doi.org/10.1145/3144826.3145417

Pritom, M. M. A., Rodriguez, R. M., Khan, A. A., Nugroho, S. A., Alrashydah, E., Ruiz, B. N., & Rios, A. (2021). Case Study on Detecting COVID-19 Health-Related Misinformation in Social Media. arXiv (Cornell University). https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2106.06811

Punathambekar, A., & Mohan, S. (2019). Digital Platforms, Globalization and Culture. In Bloomsbury Academic eBooks. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781501340765.ch-011

Puska, A., Baroni, L. A., & Pereira, R. (2024). Decoding the Sociotechnical Dimensions of Digital Misinformation: A Comprehensive Literature Review. arXiv (Cornell University). https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2406.11853

Quy, N. H., & Sun, F. (2021). Digital Content Marketing – A Literature Review on Concepts, International Experiences and Implications for Vietnam [Review of Digital Content Marketing – A Literature Review on Concepts, International Experiences and Implications for Vietnam]. SHS Web of Conferences, 124, 9005. EDP Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/202112409005

Radwan, M. (2022). Effect of social media usage on the cultural identity of rural people: a case study of Bamha village, Egypt. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-022-01268-4

Rianto, P. (2019). LITERASI DIGITAL DAN ETIKA MEDIA SOSIAL DI ERA POST-TRUTH. Interaksi Jurnal Ilmu Komunikasi, 8(2), 24. https://doi.org/10.14710/interaksi.8.2.24-35

Roschke, K., & Bartlett, T. (2025). The Dangers of Low Literacy for American Democracy: The Promising Role of Public Institutions as Community Conveners. ADULT LITERACY EDUCATION THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LITERACY LANGUAGE AND NUMERACY, 7(1), 54. https://doi.org/10.35847/kroschke.tbartlett.7.1.54

Sánchez, L., Martín, R. D., & García-Marín, D. (2022). Health Promotion on Instagram: Descriptive–Correlational Study and Predictive Factors of Influencers’ Content. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(23), 15817. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192315817

Shao, Y., Atsumori, H., Matsumura, T., Esaki, K., Minusa, S., & Mizuno, H. (2023). The impact of individual information exchange strategies on the distribution of social wealth. arXiv (Cornell University). https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2304.00514

Singh, S. K., Singh, D. N., & Kumari, S. (2024). Technology and its Effect on Social Interactions. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4894688

Sirlin, N., Epstein, Z., Arechar, A. A., & Rand, D. G. (2021). Digital literacy is associated with more discerning accuracy judgments but not sharing intentions. https://doi.org/10.37016/mr-2020-83

Social Media and Society. (2023). In Discourse approaches to politics, society and culture. John Benjamins Publishing Company. https://doi.org/10.1075/dapsac.100

Vasist, P. N., Chatterjee, D., & Krishnan, S. (2023). The Polarizing Impact of Political Disinformation and Hate Speech: A Cross-country Configural Narrative. Information Systems Frontiers, 26(2), 663. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10796-023-10390-w

Wahab, P., Din, S. U., Pasha, K., Ahmed, M., Hussain, M., & Khan, J. (2022). A generation gap between children and their parents in Pashtun community Buner District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Masyarakat Kebudayaan Dan Politik, 35(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.20473/mkp.v35i12022.1-13

Wani, Z. A., Bhat, A., Vishnoi, V., Praveen, H., Simon, N. H., & Hephzibah, D. S. L. (2024). Impact of Social Media on Society: A Literature Review [Review of Impact of Social Media on Society: A Literature Review]. Asian Journal of Education and Social Studies, 50(4), 320. https://doi.org/10.9734/ajess/2024/v50i41334

Yang, J., & Zhang, M. (2023). Beyond structural inequality: a socio-technical approach to the digital divide in the platform environment. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-02326-1

Yevdokymova, N., Revenko, V., Kyrychenko, O., Hryshchenko, O., & Stekolshchykova, V. (2025). The Information Culture of the Journalist: Linguistic Accuracy, Security, and Responsibility. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5225058

Гудманян, А., Дротянко, Л. Г., Sydorenko, S., Zhuravliova, O., & Yahodzinskyi, S. (2019). Social transformations of speech culture in information age. E3S Web of Conferences, 135, 3081. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/201913503081

Фісенко, Т., Husak, O., & Trishchuk, O. (2021). THE USE OF WEB-SERVICES AND APPLICATIONS IN FORMING MEDIA LITERACY OF FUTURE JOURNALISTS. Information Technologies and Learning Tools, 85(5), 288. https://doi.org/10.33407/itlt.v85i5.4284