Divides in News Verification

Antecedents and Political Outcomes of News Verification by Age

Bibliographic Data

ID22010813
AuthorsRebecca Yu (0000-0002-8029-3362, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, corresponding author), Rebecca Ping Yu (National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University)
Year2025
Volume13
Issue8
Pages1399-1419
Publication date2025-09-14
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueDigital Journalism (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2167-0811 • E-ISSN: 2167-082X
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/21670811.2024.2314582
OpenAlexW4392795299
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited50

News verification has been an important practice to combat fake news, but relatively little work has explored the antecedents and outcomes of news verification outside of experimental settings.This study uses two-wave panel survey data from Taiwan to address this gap.Findings indicate that access to cultural, social, and technological resources largely determines individuals' likelihood of undertaking advanced news verification that involves cross-checking with external sources.Some but not all verification divides vary by age, providing partial support for the perception that news verification gaps are more salient among older adults.Findings also indicate the political implications of news verification: people who engage in advanced verification are more likely to express themselves politically than those who only undertake basic verification involving self-judgment.These results have implications for targeted interventions to mitigate the negative impacts of fake news engagement across age groups

Fake news · Internet privacy · Motivated reasoning · News media · Political science · Politics · Public relations · Computer Science · Law · Media Influence and Politics · Misinformation and Its Impacts · Social Media and Politics

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