Research Article 44
Journal of Education & Social Sciences - Volume 10, Issue 2 2022
By Noman Ahsan, Muhammad Ashfaq, Maiyra Ahmed
10.20547/jess1022210205
Keywords: Entertainment, Socialization, Information-seeking, Information-sharing, Psychological distress, PLS-SEM.

The purpose of this study is to examine the determinants which led to fake news sharing over social media about COVID-19. Further, this study intends to analyze the moderating effect of psychological distress on the relationship between the considered motivators and gratifications in higher education Pakistani students. This paper aims to study the Uses and Gratification approach by adding other determinants. Additionally, it is significant to examine the impact of altruism and psychological distress as a moderator on sharing fake news about COVID-19 over social media among higher education students. This study acquired the sample through a questionnaire survey which was analyzed applying PLS-SEM version 3.0. The findings revealed that altruism, entertainment, and pass time are the significant gratifications that lead students to share fake news on COVID-19. In contrast, psychological distress strengthens the link between altruism, entertainment, socialization, and information-sharing with sharing fake news.

Submission Date: 13 Aug, 2022 Reviews Completed: 26 Oct, 2022
Acceptance Date: 7 Nov, 2022 Publication Date: 18 Nov, 2022