Is Political Information Over Facebook Credible? A Look at the 2020 Presidential Election

Much controversy still exists surrounding the events before, during, and after the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Some of this is attributable to voters’ uncertainty, driven by conflicting messages transmitted over social media, about the credibility of information surrounding the candidates and election results. Examining data collected shortly before the 2020 election, this study investigates how consumers perceive political information presented on Facebook. Drawing from Source Credibility Theory and the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM), the research tests a model that includes medium dependency, medium interactivity, information quality, information presentation, personal expertise, and power perception. Data from 407 participants were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results show that medium dependency, information quality, and information presentation significantly enhance perceived information credibility, while higher personal expertise reduces credibility perceptions. The study contributes theoretically by bridging ELM with layered source environments and offers practical insights for political marketers aiming to improve message trust and engagement.