The Role of New Media Literacy in the Perception of Trust in Social Media

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between social media users' new media literacy levels and their perception of social media trust. The findings reveal that social media literacy levels are independent of demographic factors, such as gender, education level, or geographical location. The democratization of information access brought about by Web 2.0 and subsequent technologies, and the universal character of new media literacy are emphasized. Additionally, a positive relationship between media literacy and social media trust perception is identified. Higher levels of functional and critical consumption, as well as functional and critical prosumption, are found to increase social media trust. It is recommended that media literacy education programs focus on training conscious media users who can critically evaluate media content. Social media platforms should develop stricter monitoring mechanisms to enhance content accuracy. These findings demonstrate the ability of media literacy to increase trust in social media platforms. Policymakers and educators are encouraged to strengthen and expand media literacy education programs. This study suggests that media literacy education can enhance societal information security by improving the processes of accessing and evaluating information.