Assessing the awareness of media literacy and fake news among the youth during the national general election

Purpose At present, most people use social media. Social media can be considered a double-edged sword; one is a rapid way for information dissemination at low cost, and the other is the widespread spread of misinformation or fake news. This study aims to assess the media literacy and awareness of fake news among the youth during the National General Election. The purpose of this study is to investigate the awareness of media literacy, information evaluation criteria and the perception of youth about important factors of fake news on social media. Design/methodology/approach Present study has surveyed by used structure questionnaires and collected data from 427 young voters from the western region of India who are casting their votes in the General Election 2024. The study applied MS Excel and SPSS Software and analysed the data. Findings The study reported that 65.81% were found first time voters. It is observed that Facebook and WhatsApp are frequently used social media platforms. In total, 75% of users expressed that fake news spread during the election on social media mostly through Facebook, WhatsApp and YouTube. 34% of respondents showed that they are casting their vote in line with the manifesto of political parties. The result also shows that media literacy helps to evaluate the information obtained from any source. Because of awareness about social media and fake news, people critically analyse the facts before selecting an electoral candidate. Practical implications This study offers key implications for policymakers, educationalists, election authorities, social media platforms and citizens. Improving fact-checking systems, integrating media literacy education and performing voter perception programs can assist in reducing the spread and effect of election-related misinformation. In addition, teamwork between social media companies, autonomous fact-checkers and reliable news organisations can foster informed decision-making and improve democratic participation. Originality/value This study not only is assessing the media literacy and awareness of fake news among the youth but also shows the impact of the fake news among the young generation during the National General Election. The study also conducted to understand the voters’ criteria for choosing election candidate, perception of comprehensibility of fake news, acceptance and usage of social media while casting vote.