Social media literacy as a moderating factor in the determinants of fake news dissemination among college students in China

This study investigated the factors influencing fake news sharing behavior (FSNB) among college students in China, with a focus on the moderating role of social media literacy (SML). Drawing on rational choice theory, the study examined how information sharing (ISR), information seeking (ISK), trust in social network sites (TSNS), and self-expression (SE) affect FSNB. A quantitative approach was adopted using an online survey involving 681 students from multiple universities across Shandong Province. Data were analyzed via partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to evaluate both direct and interaction effects. The results indicated that ISR, ISK, TSNS, and SE all significantly influenced FSNB. ISR and ISK exhibited the strongest effects, suggesting that users often engage in sharing and seeking information without verifying its credibility, driven by status-seeking and social participation motives. TSNS and SE also contributed to FSNB, reflecting how trust and self-presentation shape online behaviors. Importantly, SML was found to significantly moderate the relationships between TSNS and FSNB, and SE and FSNB, but not ISR or ISK. This indicates that while media literacy skills can mitigate some forms of misinformation-sharing behavior, they may not be sufficient to counter impulsive or emotionally driven interactions with information. Moreover, the moderating effects were more prominent among students with lower reading comprehension, underscoring the importance of targeted digital literacy interventions.These findings contribute to the growing body of literature on digital behavior and misinformation, particularly in non-Western contexts. The study offers both theoretical insights and practical implications for designing effective media literacy programs and policy strategies aimed at curbing the spread of fake news on social platforms.