Exposing Cloned Newspaper Pages on Social Media: the Role of User Awareness and Knowledge, and a Framework for Addressing Identity Theft

The digital age has transformed how people consume news and interact with media content, but it has also given rise to the widespread dissemination of misinformation and cloned media content on social media platforms.This paper reviews the existing literature to develop a conceptual framework, the Online Newspaper Cloning and Identity Theft Framework (ONCITF), aimed at enhancing user awareness and knowledge of fake news and cloned media pages.By examining key factors such as source credibility, media literacy and algorithmic curation, this study proposes a comprehensive framework to assist users in identifying and understanding deceptive content.The framework integrates insights from communication studies, psychology and information science to provide a holistic approach to media literacy.The findings underscore the need for coordinated efforts to improve digital literacy and promote transparent practices on social media platforms.ONCITF offers practical applications for educators, policymakers and social media practitioners to mitigate the effect of misinformation and foster a more critically engaged public.