Fake news sharing among Weibo users in China

In an era where social media's impact on public discourse is increasingly pronounced, this study probes into the spread of fake news among Weibo users in China, a significant issue given the platform's massive user base and China's unique media environment. Adopting a quantitative res...

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Main Authors: Luo, Dong, Nur Haniz Mohd Nor, Kai, Ge Bai, Siti Syuhada Abdul Rais, Azian Muhamad Adzmi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2023
Online Access:http://journalarticle.ukm.my/23171/
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/23171/1/komunikasi_15.pdf
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author Luo, Dong
Nur Haniz Mohd Nor,
Kai, Ge Bai
Siti Syuhada Abdul Rais,
Azian Muhamad Adzmi,
author_facet Luo, Dong
Nur Haniz Mohd Nor,
Kai, Ge Bai
Siti Syuhada Abdul Rais,
Azian Muhamad Adzmi,
author_sort Luo, Dong
building UKM Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description In an era where social media's impact on public discourse is increasingly pronounced, this study probes into the spread of fake news among Weibo users in China, a significant issue given the platform's massive user base and China's unique media environment. Adopting a quantitative research approach, the study primarily investigates how situational motivation and information-seeking behaviours influence the sharing of fake news. Utilising regression analysis, a method pivotal for understanding the relationship between various independent variables and the sharing of misinformation, the research sheds light on the nuanced interplay of factors that drive users to disseminate false information. Key findings reveal that situational factors, such as the need for social recognition or the urge to disseminate urgent news, considerably elevate the likelihood of sharing fake news. Additionally, the study uncovers the complex nature of information-seeking behaviour: while it generally leads to better-informed decisions, it can sometimes result in the sharing of unverified news under certain circumstances. These outcomes are crucial for understanding the behavioural patterns behind fake news sharing on social media. They offer valuable insights for policymakers, social media platforms, and educators in formulating effective countermeasures against misinformation, aiming to foster a more discerning and informed online community. This study, therefore, contributes significantly to the existing body of knowledge on digital media, misinformation, and public opinion, highlighting the critical need for strategies to combat the spread of fake news in the digital age.
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spelling oai:generic.eprints.org:231712024-03-11T08:07:21Z http://journalarticle.ukm.my/23171/ Fake news sharing among Weibo users in China Luo, Dong Nur Haniz Mohd Nor, Kai, Ge Bai Siti Syuhada Abdul Rais, Azian Muhamad Adzmi, In an era where social media's impact on public discourse is increasingly pronounced, this study probes into the spread of fake news among Weibo users in China, a significant issue given the platform's massive user base and China's unique media environment. Adopting a quantitative research approach, the study primarily investigates how situational motivation and information-seeking behaviours influence the sharing of fake news. Utilising regression analysis, a method pivotal for understanding the relationship between various independent variables and the sharing of misinformation, the research sheds light on the nuanced interplay of factors that drive users to disseminate false information. Key findings reveal that situational factors, such as the need for social recognition or the urge to disseminate urgent news, considerably elevate the likelihood of sharing fake news. Additionally, the study uncovers the complex nature of information-seeking behaviour: while it generally leads to better-informed decisions, it can sometimes result in the sharing of unverified news under certain circumstances. These outcomes are crucial for understanding the behavioural patterns behind fake news sharing on social media. They offer valuable insights for policymakers, social media platforms, and educators in formulating effective countermeasures against misinformation, aiming to foster a more discerning and informed online community. This study, therefore, contributes significantly to the existing body of knowledge on digital media, misinformation, and public opinion, highlighting the critical need for strategies to combat the spread of fake news in the digital age. Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2023 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://journalarticle.ukm.my/23171/1/komunikasi_15.pdf Luo, Dong and Nur Haniz Mohd Nor, and Kai, Ge Bai and Siti Syuhada Abdul Rais, and Azian Muhamad Adzmi, (2023) Fake news sharing among Weibo users in China. Jurnal Komunikasi ; Malaysian Journal of Communication, 39 (4). pp. 284-305. ISSN 0128-1496 https://ejournal.ukm.my/mjc/issue/view/1610
spellingShingle Luo, Dong
Nur Haniz Mohd Nor,
Kai, Ge Bai
Siti Syuhada Abdul Rais,
Azian Muhamad Adzmi,
Fake news sharing among Weibo users in China
title Fake news sharing among Weibo users in China
title_full Fake news sharing among Weibo users in China
title_fullStr Fake news sharing among Weibo users in China
title_full_unstemmed Fake news sharing among Weibo users in China
title_short Fake news sharing among Weibo users in China
title_sort fake news sharing among weibo users in china
url http://journalarticle.ukm.my/23171/
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/23171/
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/23171/1/komunikasi_15.pdf