Bridging social media news use and democratic tendencies: the mediating role of fact-checking practices
The widespread penetration of social media has markedly shaped democratic tendencies. In particular, news consumption via Facebook and X, political discussion, and political efficacy influence democratic tendencies through fact-checking practices. This study examined the direct associations of these factors with fact-checking practices, as well as their indirect effects on democratic tendencies through the mediating role of fact-checking practices among the Malaysian population. Methodology: This quantitative study employed a respondent-driven sampling (RDS) strategy with chain referrals, through which 434 respondents were recruited from the Malaysian population. The questionnaire was validated, and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied to examine the direct and indirect relationships among the study variables, ensuring reliability and compliance with ethical standards. Results: Fact-checking practices exerted the strongest influence on democratic tendencies, while political discussion emerged as the most significant predictor of fact-checking practices. Moreover, fact-checking practices served as the most robust mediator in the relationship between political discussion and democratic tendencies. Discussion: The study confirms most of the hypothesized relationships and highlights the importance of expanding the reach of fact-checking platforms to ensure their widespread adoption among the public. It further underscores the need to test this model in other democratic contexts to enhance its generalizability. Conclusions: These findings underscore the relevance of strengthening fact-checking practices, potentially through the wider availability and integration of fact-checking mechanisms on social media platforms, which may, in turn, contribute to enhancing democratic tendencies among citizens.
Tariq, R., & Ng, S. K. (2026). Bridging social media news use and democratic tendencies: the mediating role of fact-checking practices. Revista Latina De Comunicación Social, (84), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.4185/rlcs-2026-2591