Abstract
This study is part of the Surfing the Waves of Fake News (SURFake) project, involving 543 Spanish university students. Its purpose is to understand the variables related to potentially risky practices students engage in on social media and their educational shortcomings. An opinion questionnaire was used to establish levels of vulnerability to fake news. The results show that the most vulnerable are the youngest and those who spend more time exposed to social media, limit themselves to consuming content, read their news superficially, and lack specific education or training. Respondents who are aware of their limitations request training to recognize reliable sources of information, identify news creators' hidden agendas, and activate their critical thinking. Lastly, the study emphasizes the need to design interventions that help students analyze and cross-reference information, as well as participate responsibly in the digital sphere.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Del Moral Pérez, M., Castañeda Fernández, J., López-Bouzas, N., & Bellver Moreno, M. (2024). Vulnerability profiles and educational demands of Spanish university students in the face of fake news. Journal of Media Literacy Education, 16(3), 92-106. https://doi.org/10.23860/JMLE-2024-16-3-7
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