Can you identify fake news? Investigating the elements of fake news on social media during the Covid-19 pandemic using the heuristic-systematic model

This study is to find out the elements of fake news on social media that persuade young adults to believe in it during the COVID 19 pandemic. The purpose of these findings is to help contribute to the practical and also theoretical significance of similar research to be carried out in the future. Th...

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Main Authors: Foo, Yee Ting, Leong, Jie Rou Sylvine, Liew, Yong Qi, Lim, Zhe Thung, Tan, Suet Yi
Format: Final Year Project / Dissertation / Thesis
Published: 2021
Subjects:
Online Access:http://eprints.utar.edu.my/4919/
http://eprints.utar.edu.my/4919/1/fyp_PR_2021_FYT.pdf
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author Foo, Yee Ting
Leong, Jie Rou Sylvine
Liew, Yong Qi
Lim, Zhe Thung
Tan, Suet Yi
author_facet Foo, Yee Ting
Leong, Jie Rou Sylvine
Liew, Yong Qi
Lim, Zhe Thung
Tan, Suet Yi
author_sort Foo, Yee Ting
building UTAR Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description This study is to find out the elements of fake news on social media that persuade young adults to believe in it during the COVID 19 pandemic. The purpose of these findings is to help contribute to the practical and also theoretical significance of similar research to be carried out in the future. The method used for this research is the qualitative research method, where interviews using semi-structured questions will be carried out between the interviewer and the interviewee. A sample size of 25 young adults aged between 19-24 years old, Malaysian citizens and own social media accounts were involved in the current study to answer our research questions of what the elements of fake news on social media are as well as how the elements of fake new persuaded young adults to believe in it during COVID-19 by using purposive sampling method. The findings identified that the four main elements of fake news on social media are the interaction of social media users, visibility, content and influencer. Besides that, the research also revealed the way how the elements of fake news on social media persuade young adults to believe in it during COVID-19. The results showed that the interaction of social media users, visibility, and influencer were proved to confirm the Heuristic-Systematic Model, which states that some people make decisions solely based on non-verbal cues. Hence, this study aims to assist various parties in tackling the issues of fake news as well as educate them with the new knowledge and findings from our research.
first_indexed 2025-11-15T19:35:57Z
format Final Year Project / Dissertation / Thesis
id utar-4919
institution Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman
institution_category Local University
last_indexed 2025-11-15T19:35:57Z
publishDate 2021
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling utar-49192022-12-28T15:32:03Z Can you identify fake news? Investigating the elements of fake news on social media during the Covid-19 pandemic using the heuristic-systematic model Foo, Yee Ting Leong, Jie Rou Sylvine Liew, Yong Qi Lim, Zhe Thung Tan, Suet Yi H Social Sciences (General) ZA Information resources This study is to find out the elements of fake news on social media that persuade young adults to believe in it during the COVID 19 pandemic. The purpose of these findings is to help contribute to the practical and also theoretical significance of similar research to be carried out in the future. The method used for this research is the qualitative research method, where interviews using semi-structured questions will be carried out between the interviewer and the interviewee. A sample size of 25 young adults aged between 19-24 years old, Malaysian citizens and own social media accounts were involved in the current study to answer our research questions of what the elements of fake news on social media are as well as how the elements of fake new persuaded young adults to believe in it during COVID-19 by using purposive sampling method. The findings identified that the four main elements of fake news on social media are the interaction of social media users, visibility, content and influencer. Besides that, the research also revealed the way how the elements of fake news on social media persuade young adults to believe in it during COVID-19. The results showed that the interaction of social media users, visibility, and influencer were proved to confirm the Heuristic-Systematic Model, which states that some people make decisions solely based on non-verbal cues. Hence, this study aims to assist various parties in tackling the issues of fake news as well as educate them with the new knowledge and findings from our research. 2021-10 Final Year Project / Dissertation / Thesis NonPeerReviewed application/pdf http://eprints.utar.edu.my/4919/1/fyp_PR_2021_FYT.pdf Foo, Yee Ting and Leong, Jie Rou Sylvine and Liew, Yong Qi and Lim, Zhe Thung and Tan, Suet Yi (2021) Can you identify fake news? Investigating the elements of fake news on social media during the Covid-19 pandemic using the heuristic-systematic model. Final Year Project, UTAR. http://eprints.utar.edu.my/4919/
spellingShingle H Social Sciences (General)
ZA Information resources
Foo, Yee Ting
Leong, Jie Rou Sylvine
Liew, Yong Qi
Lim, Zhe Thung
Tan, Suet Yi
Can you identify fake news? Investigating the elements of fake news on social media during the Covid-19 pandemic using the heuristic-systematic model
title Can you identify fake news? Investigating the elements of fake news on social media during the Covid-19 pandemic using the heuristic-systematic model
title_full Can you identify fake news? Investigating the elements of fake news on social media during the Covid-19 pandemic using the heuristic-systematic model
title_fullStr Can you identify fake news? Investigating the elements of fake news on social media during the Covid-19 pandemic using the heuristic-systematic model
title_full_unstemmed Can you identify fake news? Investigating the elements of fake news on social media during the Covid-19 pandemic using the heuristic-systematic model
title_short Can you identify fake news? Investigating the elements of fake news on social media during the Covid-19 pandemic using the heuristic-systematic model
title_sort can you identify fake news? investigating the elements of fake news on social media during the covid-19 pandemic using the heuristic-systematic model
topic H Social Sciences (General)
ZA Information resources
url http://eprints.utar.edu.my/4919/
http://eprints.utar.edu.my/4919/1/fyp_PR_2021_FYT.pdf