Photography and its authenticity in the context of the debate about disseminating disinformation in the online environment

The submitted thesis focuses on the photograph and its role in the process of disseminating disinformation in the online environment. The thesis deals with the opinion that, despite the fundamental changes in the understanding of photography and its credibility, which together with the transition from its analogue form to digital one, photography retains the status of an authentic medium. For this reason photography is becoming a very powerful tool for spreading misinformation. The thesis deals with the theoretical basis of objectivity of photography, its documentary value and expectation of authenticity. The role of the context, which is crucial for understanding the photographic message, will be emphasized. The thesis also defines the basic concepts related to the phenomenon of disinformation. The strategies used to spread disinformation via photography is also presented. In the practical part of the thesis particular disinformative photographic messages is analyzed. Ways to verify the authenticity of particular photographic images are presented. Keywords: photography, authenticity, disinformation, hoax, fake news, online environment, manipulatio