At a time when the information space is undergoing rapid change and democracies are facing an avalanche of misinformation and the emergence of parasitic media ecosystems, the launch of the book Pseudomedia, written by Ciprian Ioan Cucu, is an event of major interest to anyone who follows media dynamics and the evolution of the post-truth phenomenon. The event will take place on Sunday, December 7, at 12:00 p.m., as part of Gaudeamus International Book Fair, at the Tritonic stand, no. 75. The book brings together a selection of refined essays on media, pseudo-media, information, manipulation, democracy, and authoritarianism, texts developed from the author's analyses published in Revista 22 and supplemented specifically for this volume. The illustrations, signed by Dan Perjovschi, visually complement the critical and incisive discourse of the work.
"Pseudomedia" analyzes how the media is gradually losing its role as a democratic infrastructure and is being replaced, in many contexts, by opaque mechanisms designed to maintain confusion, polarization, and mistrust. From politicians turned "polit-influencers" who confuse live streaming with governance, to revisionist regimes that exploit the vulnerabilities of the information ecosystem to produce and spread "alternative truths," the volume accurately captures the tensions of the current era and their impact on democratic societies. The central message is clear: if democracy is based on the informed choice of citizens, then media quality becomes a matter of public security, not just a professional issue.
The event will be attended by Associate Professor Flavia Durach, PhD (SNSPA), journalist Iulia Stănoiu (Context.ro), editor Bogdan Hrib and the author himself, who will discuss the main themes of the book, the fragility of public space, and the need for solid skills in analyzing and verifying information in a world dominated by noise and manipulation. The launch is an opportunity to open a necessary dialogue between researchers, journalists, practitioners in the field, and the general public, in a context where media literacy is no longer a luxury but a prerequisite for democratic resilience.
Ciprian Ioan Cucu also makes an essential contribution within the framework of Digital Forensic Team, where he works as an investigative expert, data analyst, and IT specialist. He holds a PhD in statistics and cybernetics and is a lecturer at the University of Alba Iulia, where he teaches computer science and investigates, from an academic perspective, the mechanisms of disinformation propagation in the online environment. He is co-founder of the Apulum Forum Association, dedicated to promoting civic culture and critical thinking among young people. Since 2019, he has been active in media education and combating disinformation projects, coordinating initiatives to monitor, analyze, and expose manipulative content. He has contributed to important research such as "Blurring the Truth. Disinformation in Southeast Europe" and is the author of analyses published by Hive-Mind, Larics, Scena9, and Revista 22. His technical and analytical experience provides valuable insight into the phenomena described in the volume, highlighting how data, algorithms, and digital structures influence the formation of public opinion.
The launch of the book Pseudomedia is not just a book presentation, but an invitation to reflect on how we consume information, on media responsibility, and on the need to protect our democratic space from manipulation and misinformation. In an era dominated by uncertainty, polarization, and attacks on the truth, this volume provides readers with the tools they need to understand the mechanisms of the post-truth world and to navigate the complexity of the current media ecosystem with clarity.
