Effects of 2022 political fake news on Facebook on the voting participation of CLSU BSDC students
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Date
2023
Authors
Kate Aira Villatema
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Abstract
Technology plays a key role in the extensive dissemination of news and information in the current time. The internet, particularly social media such as utilizing Facebook allowed people to create content, trade, and receive information and news in a whole different way, with hardly any regulatory oversight. However, a large number of individuals get their news through social media websites and networks, making it often challenging to assess if the stories being shared are factual. Some people use the opportunity to spread false information, resulting in fake beliefs. The 2022 election is one of the main examples that social media has adults spend the majority of their time on social networking sites like Facebook They are more open to seeing and interacting with other people as well as the fact that they are more prone to hear and read fake news. The assessment of the current situation of students with regard to fake news is valuable data to provide appropriate actions. Therefore, the study discusses the student voters' feedback on the widespread dissemination of misleading information for political purposes and their political participation on Facebook platforms.
Students usually own a cell phone and use either cable internet or mobile data in connecting to the internet. Their duration of using social medial is most of the time 3 hours. The study revealed that their exposure to Facebook political fake news is often, or equivalent to at a high level. Moreover, it showed that they are very highly knowledgeable about political fake news, while they are also highly able to distinguish fake news from non-fake news. Their resulting attitude and behavior in voting participation of students is very positive because of these results. They know that is a responsibility for the nation. Their perception of the effect of fake news is that it is a serious matter as well. Whenever they encounter fake news, students usually were not heavily affected, it does not lead to a negative action on their part.
This study was conducted for the purpose of assessing the impact of Facebook's political fake news on their voting participation. A total of 170 respondents were included. The majority of the respondents are female are from 20 to 22 years old. Three year levels (2nd to 4th) were represented where 40.60% of them are 4th-year students. Around 83% of them own cell phones while cable internet (48.8%) and mobile data (44.7%) are the most common sources of internet. The duration they spend on using social media is usually 3 hours. Exposure of the respondents to Facebook political fake news implies that they often encounter political fake news suggesting that the level of exposure is at a high level. Knowledge of the respondents on Facebook political fake news has very high knowledge or awareness of political fake news. They have a high ability to distinguish fake news from legitimate news. Also, attitudes and behavior in the voting participation of students imply a very positive attitude. Perception of the respondents on the effects of fake news implying disagreement or treating fake news as a serious matter. Encountering fake news on their voting preference denotes disagreement implying the low impact of the fake news that they encounter.
The study has gathered enough data that were run and valid results were derived. It can now be concluded that students from 2nd to 4th year have very high voting participation in the recent national election. Exposure to Facebook political fake news is found to be at a high level. That means, they often encounter this on social media posts even on legit mainstream media, on walls of their friends/relatives, and even on memes. Their knowledge of awareness of Facebook political fake news is at a very high level, as they are aware that it can come from anywhere even on legit mainstream media. Moreover, they usually verify first a post that they see and do not judge it immediately as true. Their ability to distinguish fake news from not is at a high level, they know the definition of fake news and its usual form such that its usual title does not support the write-up or if there are no supporting sources like videos or links. Their attitude towards voting participation is at a very positive level because they know that it is their responsibility to vote, and their vote can help change and improve the nation. Also, their perception of the effect of fake news is at a serious level. They know that it should not be taken as a joke but should be taken as a big deal. Although for students, the political fake news that they encounter has a low effect on their voting participation, it did not cause them to make negative actions. Results reveal that the more they are aware of Facebook's political fake news, the more they have a positive attitude towards voting participation, while the more they are aware of fake news the more they treat this more seriously.