An exploration on how young adults in Malta discern whether news articles disseminated on Facebook are real or fake

Abstract

This research study explores how young adults in Malta discern whether news articles disseminated on Facebook are real or fake. This dissertation analyses the role Facebook plays as being a news source, the relationship between Facebook and fake news, and how digital literacy has become an increasingly necessary skill to have to navigate online. The aim of this study is to investigate how young adults go about deciphering which news articles are factual and which are not, the precautions that they take, their perceptions and habits regarding Facebook, and their reliance on the site as a source of news. Furthermore, a qualitative approach was adopted, in which semi-structured interviews and questionnaires were used as a means of collecting data. The data was then analysed through the process of thematic analysis, in which three overarching themes were identified, whereby each overarching theme had two subsequent sub themes. Moreover, the findings conveyed that being cautious by checking and examining the source of the news articles are imperative, as the source can be indicative of whether the news article is real or fake. The findings also depict how essential it is for individuals to be digitally literate, as this skill can facilitate people with the tools they need in order to differentiate between real and fake news.