Critical Intersections: AI Misinformation, Fact-Checking, Platform Dynamics, and Cultural Shifts

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AI-generated misinformation and fact-checking approachesThe thematic articles in this issue collectively examine the growing challenge of AI-generated misinformation-its creation, dissemination via social media, and impact on political discourse and public trust-alongside the struggle of fact-checking and detection methods.This rapidly evolving landscape, where AI-generated misinformation blurs truth and falsehood, erodes traditional sources of epistemic authority (Shin et al., 2025), making trustworthy information difficult to discern and underscoring the urgency of effective countermeasures.For instance, Cazzamatta and Sarisakalolu (2025) provide empirical data on AI-generated misinformation trends across different countries, noting country-specific variations in topics and intentionality, such as political motives being prevalent across the United Kingdom, Germany, and Brazil, while profit-driven motives are particularly strong in Brazil.A central theme is the transformation of fact-checking.Traditionally, fact-checking was a procedural or source-based process, deeply embedded within journalistic production, aimed at ensuring the accuracy of published information through verification against authoritative sources like government records and expert testimony.However, the rise of digital media ecosystems, characterized by fragmented and algorithmically amplified information flows, has shifted fact-checking'