Romania news consumption shifts toward AI chatbots amid rising social media conspiracies

A recent report highlights shifting trends in information consumption and digital literacy in Romania. Regarding news habits, approximately 8% of Romanians use AI chatbots as a news source, a figure that rises to 15% among individuals aged 18 to 24. This follows a global trend identified by the Reuters Institute, where weekly use of chatbots for news increased from 7% to 10% globally over one year.

Users primarily utilize chatbots to gain additional context, receive simplified explanations, or summarize complex topics, rather than as a primary replacement for traditional journalism. While many use the technology to verify the credibility of sources, global trust in news provided by chatbots remains low at approximately 20%.

Parallel to these technological shifts, Romania faces challenges with digital misinformation. A new conspiracy theory circulating on social media platforms like TikTok and Facebook falsely claims that water from the Danube is being diverted through underground pipes to France. This narrative has emerged amidst real concerns regarding low river levels, which impact the Cernavodă nuclear power plant, but no public hydrotechnical projects exist to support the claims of water being transported to France.