Perceptions of accuracy in online news during the COVID-19 pandemic
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v28i3.12342Keywords:
COVID-19, accuracy perception, diary study, news consumption, credibility, output misinformationAbstract
In this research, we assessed how young adults determine the accuracy of news articles and sources through a seven-day diary study. We performed a qualitative analysis on the participants’ responses and found that the participants mainly used nine different strategies to evaluate the accuracy of COVID news. The majority of respondents relied on their inherent trust and the reputation of a given news outlet instead of actively determining if the information was accurate. Young adults also used their perception of the quality of the article, personal logical reasoning, cross referencing the information, availability of data, among others. We discuss the implications of the results and propose practical suggestions.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 First MondayAuthors retain copyright to their work published in First Monday. Please see the footer of each article for details.