Social Media and Media Literacy: A Study on Students of STAIN Bengkalis

This study critically examines the media literacy competencies of students enrolled in the Communication and Islamic Broadcasting program at STAIN Bengkalis, Indonesia, within the context of escalating social media usage and the growing threat of digital misinformation. Employing a qualitative descriptive methodology, the research focuses on assessing students' mastery of twelve essential digital media literacy skills as conceptualized by Jefkins et al. (2009), which encompass critical thinking, ethical content creation, multitasking across platforms, collective intelligence, and intercultural communication. Through in-depth interviews, social media observations, and document analysis, the study reveals that students proficiently engage with a diverse array of platforms—including Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok—demonstrating adaptability and critical evaluation capabilities that enable them to identify and mitigate the spread of hoaxes effectively. Despite these strengths, the findings also uncover areas needing development, particularly in collaborative verification processes and expert consultation. The study contributes valuable insights into how media literacy education can be strategically enhanced to prepare students as responsible digital citizens capable of navigating Indonesia’s complex digital information ecosystem.