From Authenticity to Impersonation

The rapid expansion of digital platforms has enabled Nigerian newspapers to reach wider audiences but has also exposed them to the challenge of cloned social media pages that imitate authentic brands and disseminate misleading content. This study examines the perceived impact of exposure to fake news from cloned Facebook pages of Daily Trust and Vanguard newspapers on the credibility of their authentic counterparts among postgraduate users in Northern Nigeria. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was employed, combining a survey of 372 respondents with in-depth interviews involving six postgraduate students and four editorial staff. Quantitative results revealed that 60.8% of respondents reported frequent visits to cloned pages, 64.8% regularly encountered suspect content, and 33.1% admitted to unintentionally sharing such posts. Over half of participants (55.1%) reported reduced confidence in the ability of authentic newspapers to provide accurate information, and 77.4% believed cloned-page activity could significantly influence public opinion. Qualitative narratives highlighted widespread reliance on surface cues, limited verification practices, and concerns about long-term damage to institutional credibility. The findings underscore a “credibility spillover effect,” whereby fake news attached to cloned brands undermines trust in the originals. The study concludes that robust media literacy training, institutional monitoring, and platform-level interventions are necessary to mitigate reputational risks and safeguard the integrity of journalism in Nigeria’s digital public sphere. Received: 22 September 2025 / Accepted: 30 October 2025 / Published: November 2025

Citizen journalism · Credibility · Gatekeeping · Guardian · Journalism · Narrative · Newspaper · Psychological intervention · Social media · Media Influence and Politics · Media Studies and Communication · Misinformation and Its Impacts