Citation

Jones-Jang SM, Mortensen T, Liu J. Am. Behav. Sci. 2021; 65(2): 371-388.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0002764219869406

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Concerns over fake news have triggered a renewed interest in various forms of media literacy. Prevailing expectations posit that literacy interventions help audiences to be "inoculated" against any harmful effects of misleading information. This study empirically investigates such assumptions by assessing whether individuals with greater literacy (media, information, news, and digital literacies) are better at recognizing fake news, and which of these literacies are most relevant. The results reveal that information literacy--but not other literacies--significantly increases the likelihood of identifying fake news stories. Interpreting the results, we provide both conceptual and methodological explanations. Particularly, we raise questions about the self-reported competencies that are commonly used in literacy scales.

Language: en

Keywords

digital literacy; disinformation; fake news; information literacy; media literacy; misinformation; news literacy