The Fake Majority
Inside the Invisible Machinery of Astroturfing. A serial mediation model
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21777569 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Tănase Tasențe (0000-0002-3164-5894, Ovidius University), Cristina-Dana Popescu (0009-0009-5280-6608, Ovidius University) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | e2278 |
| Publication date | 2025-10-29 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Revista ICONO14 (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1697-8293 • E-ISSN: 1697-8293 |
| Publisher | Asociacion Cientifica ICONO14 (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.7195/ri14.v23i1.2278 |
| OpenAlex | W4415674527 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 39 |
Purpose: This study explores how perceived astroturfing and media literacy influence individuals’ critical responses to online content. It examines whether awareness of astroturfing and self-reported evaluation style mediate this relationship, challenging the assumption that media literacy alone ensures ethical digital behavior. Methodology: A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted in Romania between March and April 2025 with a convenience sample of 226 participants aged 18 to 73. The questionnaire measured perceived media literacy, four dimensions of astroturfing awareness, evaluation style, and critical response. Data were analyzed using structural equation modelling (SEM) with serial mediation, employing diagonally weighted least squares (DWLS) and bootstrapped confidence intervals. Results: Media literacy did not directly predict critical response. However, it significantly increased astroturfing awareness, which in turn strongly predicted ethical behavior online (β = 0.56, p
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| Highly cited | No |
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