Perceptions of Pakistani Journalists Regarding the Credibility of Social Media

Abstract

Social media is ubiquitous these days and its importance cannot be denied but the invincible expansion of fake news and disinformation is undermining its credibility; and demands more scholarly research in this area. The current study is specially designed to analyze the perceptions of Pakistani journalists regarding the credibility of social media as a news source. This study helps the researcher to ascertain whether social media is a credible source of information among Pakistani journalists or not. To investigate the proposed hypothesis, the researcher opted for a cross-sectional survey method (n=196) by using the questionnaire technique. The sample of this study is both male and female journalists from print and electronic media of Lahore. The results claim that journalists are using social media for news updates, sharing breaking news and depending on it for their professional needs. Study also identifies a significant association between the usage of social media and the perceptions of its credibility; if journalists are spending more time on a site then they are more likely to identify fake and fabricated news. The present study also contributes to the body of knowledge in the area of social media credibility and journalists’ perception in Pakistan.