Fake News on Social Media and Its Effects on Public Opinion

The rise of social media as a primary news source has led to the widespread circulation of fake news, influencing public opinion and shaping societal narratives. Unlike traditional media, social media platforms lack strict editorial controls, allowing misinformation to spread rapidly. This paper examines the behind-the-scenes processes of spreading fake news in social media and its resulting implications to the attitude and action of the population due to Agenda-Setting and Framing Theories. Using quantitative research design, a survey was conducted among 103 participants to assess their exposure to fake news. The findings indicate that, WhatsApp and Instagram are the most commonly used services to distribute fake news, and political, entertainment, and social issues were in the spotlight the most. Emotional trigger, perceived credibility, and social validation are among the major tools that encourage the propagation of unverified content. Although the problem of misinformation is widely known to the population, a significant number of users disseminate the news without first examining its validity, confirming the need to increase digital media literacy. The paper demonstrates the high level of the influence of fake news on the formation of a certain opinion as many respondents to the study admitted that they had changed their opinion after exposure to information posted on social networks. The recommendations involve the introduction of superior mechanisms of fact-checking, media literacy and education, and regulatory policies to minimize the effects of misinformation. This study is useful in enriching the local picture of fake news dynamics and provides helpful information to policy-makers, educators, and social media companies that may help them foster responsible information exchange in the digital era.