Abstract
Digital communication channels can be subject to exploitation, resulting in harming individuals or societies by promoting fake news, disinformation, radicalization, or social polarization. It is important that communicators are well prepared in identifying, preventing, and responding to such actions, in understanding the vulnerabilities of their audience, while respecting the rights and liberties of the population. Thus, ethical and strategic communication should be of top priority for institutional communicators, academia, journalists, or stakeholders when addressing security or sensitive issues.
 The article presents the results of an empirical sociological study, part of an extensive exploratory research within the CRESCEnt project, aiming at identifying elements of enhancing critical thinking, responsible communication and accountable behaviour. Three European states were targeted by the study: Romania, Spain and Greece, while 28 practitioners in communication, intelligence and security and law enforcement contributed to the research with significant input on topics related to ethical, successful, and strategic communication characteristics.
 Ethical communication implies acting by ethical principles, like being truthful, accurate, and well-intentioned. Responsibility is the central element of ethical engagement when informing the public. Effective messages are characterized by clearness, validity of information, novelty and presented in real time.
 Different types of authorities come into action for the communicators, such as the journalism code of practice, European values, or possible negative social impact.
Highlights
The overall context of the research is represented by the rapid pace of changes faced by the culture of communication, driven by the power of internet and social networks
In this study we have examined the relationship between ethical engagement in communication, responsibility, and strategic communication from the perspective of the practitioners in communication and security domains
Purpose and objectives of the study: The empirical process aimed at studying the phenomenon of fake news, ethics and responsibility in media reporting and communicating on subjects that are sensitive to the population and/ or represent security threats
Summary
The overall context of the research is represented by the rapid pace of changes faced by the culture of communication, driven by the power of internet and social networks. In this study we have examined the relationship between ethical engagement in communication, responsibility, and strategic communication from the perspective of the practitioners in communication and security domains. To this respect several theoretical approaches on strategic communication, ethical communication, and responsibility as core principle of ethical communication were highlighted. The present results within this article are focused on the qualitative method applied, based on individual interviews, aiming at identifying elements of enforcing critical thinking, responsible communication, and accountable behaviours. 28 practitioners in communication, intelligence and security and law enforcement (journalists, institution spokespersons, students in journalism and security studies) offered valid input to the research
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