Media literacy: students’ ability to respond to fake news on Instagram

Abstract

Purpose The spread of fake news on Instagram is still a problem that needs to be solved. Teenagers are a generation that is vulnerable to fake news, for example, high school students. Students need media literacy to help them protect against fake news. The media literacy skills possessed by students influence the behavior of spreading fake news that they do. This study aims to examine the effect of student media literacy on the behavior of spreading fake news on Instagram among students at public high schools in Surabaya. Design/methodology/approach This study used an online survey to100 students at five public high school in Surabaya to get the data on their ability to respond to the fake news on social media Instagram. Findings It was found that there is a media literacy that has a significant effect on the behavior of spreading fake news on Instagram. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that media literacy influences the behavior of spreading fake news on Instagram, and other factors influence the rest. There are seven media literacy skills, and the high category are grouping, deduction, synthesis and abstraction abilities. Meanwhile, the abilities included in the medium category are analysis and evaluation abilities. Originality/value This paper will provide insight of the media literacy levels on teenagers in metropolitan city. This result can be used as guide to add the media literacy subject at high schools and can be used to strengthen the media literacy skills among teenagers.