@article{2019:mller:facebook_o,
title = {Facebook or Fakebook? How users’ perceptions of ‘fake news’ are related to their evaluation and verification of news on Facebook},
year = {2019},
note = {Research suggests that Facebook’s reputation as a news source is in
decline. One reason for this development might be found in how users
perceive their own exposure to alleged ‘fake news’ - a phenomenon
which has been strongly linked to Facebook in public debate. Using a
quota survey of German Internet users (n = 743) we investigate how
users’ self-perceived exposure to ‘fake news’ and the ‘fake
news’ debate are related to their evaluation and verification of
political information on Facebook. Results indicate that the
evaluation of Facebook as a news source is independent of users’
perceptions of their total amount of exposure to ‘fake news’ or
the ‘fake news’ debate. However, individuals who feel they
encounter many ‘fake news’ from traditional news sources evaluate
Facebook more positively. Contrary to that, those who believe that the
‘fake news’ they are exposed to originate in alternative sources
evaluate Facebook less positively and also engage in verification
behaviors more frequently. Moreover, verification is predicted by the
overall level of perceived ‘fake news’ exposure and, most
strongly, by exposure to the ‘fake news’ debate. Findings are
discussed in light of recent research on news audience polarization.},
journal = {SCM Studies in Communication and Media},
pages = {547--559},
author = {Müller, Philipp and Schulz, Anne},
volume = {8},
number = {4}
}