Investigating the role of media literacy in the ability to detect fake news from librarians in public libraries

.Abstract

Objective: Widespread dissemination of "fake news" that deceives users and diverts society has become one of the major media threats in today's society. The ability to detect fake news is essential for the community, especially librarians as information service providers, to identify and counter fake news. Media literacy is one of the important factors that can play a role in this field; In fact, one of the most important ways to deal with this threat is to equip librarians with media literacy facilities. So, the purpose of this study was to investigate the role of media literacy in the ability to detect fake news by librarians of public libraries in Kermanshah province.

Methodology: The present study is applied and has been done by survey method. The statistical population of this study consists of librarians of public libraries of Kermanshah province (170 people) from which (118 people) were selected through Morgan formula by simple random sampling. To collect research data, a questionnaire of the ability to detect fake news (Ismaili, Rahimi and Moradi, 1398) and media literacy questionnaire (Philosophical, 1393) was used.

Findings: based on data analysis, media literacy with an impact factor of 0.47 on the source review, with an impact factor of 0.24 on reading the news text, with an impact factor of 0.37 on the author's diagnosis, with an impact factor of 0.45 on the review of support sources, with An impact factor of 0.41 on the study of the date and time of news, with an impact factor of 0.30 on the study of humor or seriousness of the news and with an impact factor of 0.35 on the reference to personal beliefs and prejudices. However, it did not play a role in asking questions from experts and with an impact factor of 0.51, it is effective on the overall scale of the ability to detect fake news.

Conclusion: necessary training and measures should be taken to improve media literacy to increase the ability of librarians to detect fake news. Detecting fake news is a set of skills that librarians have actively used to expose fake messages to determine the authenticity of messages. Librarians with fake news detection are less vulnerable to fake news. Identify the news that is designed and sent to influence them at different levels and will be able to be more aware of them and teach these skills to users. The results of this research can be used in the long-term planning of public libraries in the country.