The Authenticity of Information on Social Media

Abstract

The dawn of the electronic age has led to the rapid growth of social networking platforms, which have become an inevitable part of our lives by satisfying our ever-growing expectations. They yield a variety of services, such as a platform for interpersonal networking opportunities, data sharing, a resource for local and global news, and many more. The most important service is the ability to provide a replacement of traditional mass media (newspapers, televisions, etc.) for accessing and distributing news. This transition is caused by the ease of access, low costs, and the capabilities of receiving the news/information in an instantaneous manner. During a 2020 survey, more than 70 percent of respondents from Kenya, South Africa, Chile, Bulgaria, Greece, and Argentina stated that they used social media as a source of news. Conversely, less than 40 percent of adults in France, the UK, Germany, and Japan reported the same. However, a large portion of social media users admit that although they do not trust social networking sites as a media source, or as a source to get news, they continue to use it on a consistent basis [1].