Misinformation, Disinformation and Infodemic: Public Administration’s challenges in the digital society

Background: The rapid spread of misinformation, disinformation, and infodemic has profoundly reshaped the public communication ecosystem, undermining institutional credibility and citizens’ trust. These phenomena, while distinct in nature, converge in weakening the ability of Public Administration (PA) to manage accurate, transparent, and effective communication. Understanding their epistemological and operational interconnections is essential to strengthen digital trust and institutional resilience. Method: The study adopts the theoretical framework of diagnostic and prognostic framing to conceptually analyze how misinformation, disinformation, and infodemic emerge and interact within contemporary communication systems. The analysis integrates insights from international literature with empirical examples, linking informational distortions to the communicative, regulatory, and organizational challenges faced by public institutions. Results: The findings reveal that misinformation, disinformation, and infodemic differ in their nature - error, manipulative intent, and information overload - but generate convergent effects: cognitive confusion, social polarization, and erosion of institutional trust. The study identifies strategic responses based on transparency, timeliness, content validation, media literacy, technological monitoring, and inter-institutional cooperation. Conclusion: Addressing misinformation and disinformation requires a systemic approach that combines regulatory, communicative, and educational dimensions. Public Administration must act both as a guardian against disinformation and as a proactive promoter of transparent and reliable institutional communication. Strengthening institutional resilience and digital trust emerges as a crucial public value for democratic governance.