Bridging social media news use and democratic tendencies: the mediating role of fact-checking practices

Resumen

Introduction: The widespread penetration of social media has markedly shaped democratic tendencies. In particular, news consumption via Facebook and X, political discussion, and political efficacy influence democratic tendencies through fact-checking practices. This study examined the direct associations of these factors with fact-checking practices, as well as their indirect effects on democratic tendencies through the mediating role of fact-checking practices among the Malaysian population. Methodology: This quantitative study employed a respondent-driven sampling (RDS) strategy with chain referrals, through which 434 respondents were recruited from the Malaysian population. The questionnaire was validated, and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied to examine the direct and indirect relationships among the study variables, ensuring reliability and compliance with ethical standards. Results: Fact-checking practices exerted the strongest influence on democratic tendencies, while political discussion emerged as the most significant predictor of fact-checking practices. Moreover, fact-checking practices served as the most robust mediator in the relationship between political discussion and democratic tendencies. Discussion: The study confirms most of the hypothesized relationships and highlights the importance of expanding the reach of fact-checking platforms to ensure their widespread adoption among the public. It further underscores the need to test this model in other democratic contexts to enhance its generalizability. Conclusions: These findings underscore the relevance of strengthening fact-checking practices, potentially through the wider availability and integration of fact-checking mechanisms on social media platforms, which may, in turn, contribute to enhancing democratic tendencies among citizens.