Media manipulation: a critical approach

This article provides a critical analysis of the phenomenon of media manipulation in the context of the philosophy of Нerbert Marcuse. The works of the philosopher reveal in detail the essence of manipulation as a way of introducing imposed standards of consumption into the minds of individuals. This way of managing society in a market economy is aimed at the hidden enslavement of citizens as well as increasing the profits of the ruling class. According to Н. Marcuse, the main task of the media in bourgeois society is the formation of false needs, prerequisites for the purchase of goods. As practice shows, in the conditions of the information society and the increasing influence of new media, this interpretation of manipulation remains relevant. New forms of destructive audience control (consumers, voters) are currently being used on social networks. They mimic various community initiatives that are identified through critiques of reports and fact-checking. Based on modern material, the article shows some of the characteristic features of manipulative influence. New forms of employment - freelancing and play work - are considered manipulative constructs aimed at increasing the exploitation of individuals. Such forms of employment are widespread in the modern media industry. The penetration of the phenomenon under consideration into all spheres of human life allows us to speak about the total nature of the manipulative world order. Based on the analysis performed in the article, we can conclude that Н. Marcuse's conceptual apparatus still applies. Some modern followers of his philosophical views successfully use critical theory as a way to explain various events and social processes. A critical assessment of the various manifestations of a one-dimensional society in the future serves as the basis for overcoming various destructive practices. The article emphasizes that a critical analysis of manipulative influence is connected with the ethical side of the work of mass media. The idea of morally acceptable forms and practices of mass communications today is one of the most common topics in scientific, scientific- practical, and industry literature on the ethics of journalistic creativity.