The impact of media use on security perceptions: Insights from focus groups of Latvian and Estonian border residents

The study investigates how the media shape perceptions of security in the European Union’s border regions, focusing on Latvia and Estonia, both of which share a border with Russia. Drawing on media dependency theory, it examines the relationship between media use and perceived threats under conditions of social instability and uncertainty. Two research questions guide the analysis: (1) how risk perception relates to goals of mass media use and (2) how border residents choose different information sources regarding potential military threats. The focus group discussions indicated that respondents’ goals of media use closely aligned with dependency relations under conditions of perceived risk and uncertainty: maintaining a sense of safety and being informed, protecting family members and property, reducing uncertainty, distinguishing credible information from misinformation, and sustaining psychological stability. The risk perception and media use were mutually reinforcing: the media not only provided information but also regulated emotions, fostering both preparedness and fatigue. Differences between Latvian- and Russian-speaking audiences in Latvia and Estonia highlighted how competing narratives influenced stress levels and perceptions of security. The findings suggest that border residents having opportunity to live in different media spaces (or systems), lay on the media content they trust more, and have opportunity to compare sources and adopt protective behavior. In this context, media dependency extends beyond information-seeking to include emotional management and action-oriented responses during times of crisis