In recent years, the number of fake news stories has significantly increased in the world of media, especially with the widespread use of social media. It has impacted several industries, including tourism. From a tourism point of view, the spread of fake news can contribute to the reduction of the popularity of a destination. It may influence travel decisions by discouraging tourists from visiting certain places and thus damage the reputation of the destination, contributing to economic loss. After a literature review on the communication aspect of fake news and a general introduction of fake news in the tourism and hospitality industry, we conducted a systematic literature review (SLR), a research methodology to collect, identify, and analyse available research studies through a systematic procedure. The current SLR is based on the Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases of existing literature on the topic of fake news in the tourism and hospitality industry. The study identifies, lists, and examines existing papers and conference proceedings from a vast array of disciplines, in order to give a well-rounded view on the issue of fake news in the tourism and hospitality industry. After selecting a total of 54 previous studies from more than 20 thousand results for the keywords ‘fake news’ and ‘tourism,’ we have analysed 39 papers in total. The SLR aimed to highlight existing gaps in the literature and areas that may require further exploration in future primary research. We have found that there is relatively limited academic literature available on the subject of fake news affecting tourism destinations, compared to studies focused on hospitality services.

The study investigates the vital role of press freedom as a cornerstone of democratic societies and highlights its importance as an indicator of human rights and civil liberties in different countries. Press freedom encompasses the media and journalists’ right to obtain, disseminate, and publish information without censorship or reprisals. This fundamental right is integral to the broader scope of freedom of expression, enshrined in international declarations and covenants. The research emphasizes the growing threats to independent journalism, driven by deteriorating traditional business models, increased repression, and threats to journalists’ safety. It underscores the necessity for both national and international efforts to uphold and safeguard press freedom. The article critically analyses the methodologies of prominent press freedom indices, for example, those provided by Freedom House and Reporters Without Borders, and finds consistency in their evaluations. It delves into the cultural, economic, and political variables influencing press freedom, demonstrating that countries with robust democratic traditions and institutions generally enjoy higher levels of media freedom. Conversely, nations with histories of conflict or authoritarian rule often restrict media operations. Economic stability and development, along with high education levels and cultural diversity, are also found to correlate positively with press freedom, suggesting that economically strong countries can better support independent media free from government influence. Moreover, the study explores how press freedom impacts various societal aspects, including human rights, corruption, and economic conditions. It highlights the role of free media in exposing corruption, educating citizens, and enabling accountability. The analysis points out that limitations on press freedom can function similarly to trade barriers by restricting access to credible information, thus affecting international trade flows. The findings from several global regions, including post-Arab Spring countries and nations like Nigeria and China, illustrate diverse challenges and governmental controls affecting media freedom.The research concludes that enhancing press freedom requires addressing political, legal, and economic context while promoting democratic governance and protecting civil liberties. It calls for clearer criteria and assessments within frameworks like the EU’s Rule of Law Report to better capture state influence and media independence issues. The study advocates for a collective international effort led by bodies like UNESCO to ensure diverse and independent media access worldwide, underlining the critical role of press freedom in fostering democratic societies and informed citizenry.

Social media and networks have opened new opportunities for individuals to learn and grow, regardless of their educational or professional background. The implications and challenges of technology in educational settings are not well understood, despite its widespread use and impact on students. The study aims to investigate students’ social networking behaviour in the form of the use of social networking sites during class in relation to their gender, age group, education, and place of residence and focuses on three age groups of students who are representatives of Generation Y and Generation Z because both generations are growing up and coming of age in the 21st century and have been exposed to digitization and digital transformation since early childhood. The research sample consisted of 278 students from public and private universities and high school graduates who expressed interest in studying at the university. The results show that all examined variables, except place of residence, have a significant but small effect on what students do on social networking sites during classes and the reasons why they use them. However, according to the results, the fact that students connect to social networks during class does not imply that they have a reduced interest in the subject matter being taught or the knowledge being acquired, which means that there is a significant opportunity to adapt the learning approach on these platforms.

The inability of established democratic institutions to offer adequate and effective solutions to accumulated crises has created fertile ground for the rise of populism, which is transforming liberal democracy into an illiberal order that we can term populistocracy. In imperfect democracies, it is correct to diagnose the phenomenon of unfulfilled and dysfunctional liberal democracy, including an analysis of the factors contributing to this state of affairs. Key empirical findings reveal an asymmetry in citizens’ commitment to democratic principles: while citizens remain firmly committed to the electoral pillar (free elections), their support for key liberal pillars – such as judicial independence, media freedom, and horizontal accountability – is surprisingly elastic (Ferrer et al., 2025). Quantifying this phenomenon through Willingness to Pay (WTP) shows that citizens are willing to give up individual liberal principles for a relatively small increase in income, which legitimises the gradual weakening of democracy – creeping authoritarianism (Diamond, 2020). Empirical findings support the authors’ thesis that we are witnessing a transition from politics based on universal values and rational argumentation to semantic politics, where rhetoric, emotions, and symbolic gestures replace rationality. This transformation of the political paradigm is not a random development, but the result of a deep crisis caused by a set of interrelated factors – economic uncertainty, structural inequalities, a crisis of trust in institutions, and the sophisticated use of disinformation in the digital age.