A Social Media and Solutions for Detecting Fake News: A Study of Four Northern Provinces of Afghanistan
Corresponding Author(s) : Sekandar Maihanyar
Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities,
Vol. 2 No. 2 (2025): April
Abstract
Social media, commonly known as social networks, has become a prominent platform for fulfilling users' information needs because of its many advantages and features. Along with its immense popularity, users encounter much false and misleading information through these platforms. The main objective of this research is to detect and identify fake news and misinformation in Afghanistan. This research employed a survey method and questionnaire tool. The target population consisted of journalists, students of journalism faculties in four provinces (Balkh, Jawzjan, Faryab, and Baghlan), and media managers. The sampling method used was random, and 300 questionnaires were distributed. After the data was collected and completed, it was analyzed descriptively using SPSS software. The theoretical foundation of this research is grounded in the "network society" and "filter bubble." theories. The findings indicated that within the statistical community under investigation, the level of recognition and critical analysis of information and media content by social media users is significantly low. This deficiency contributes to several concerning issues, including the facilitation of psychological warfare, the prevalence of ambiguous information sources, and the widespread inability to distinguish between fake news and factual content. These factors collectively result in manipulating public opinion, increased confusion in understanding factual news, susceptibility to suggestion, social disillusionment, and a growing sense of pessimism among consumers toward societal actors and vice versa. Additionally, this environment fosters the undeserved credibility of individuals who spread misinformation, encourages hasty decision-making, and promotes economic and informational consumerism.
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- Ansari, R. (2018). A comparative study of gatekeeping in social networks and its impact on the gatekeeping of official media in Iran (Master’s thesis). Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch, Faculty of Communication and Media.
- Castells, M. (2018). Toward a sociology of the network society. Oxford University Press.
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- Ghorab, H. (2019). Identifying and detecting patterns of fake news dissemination in the structure of social networks (Master’s thesis). Shahid Beheshti University.
- Greifeneder, R., Jaffe, M. E., Newman, E. J., & Schwarz, N. (Eds.). (2021). The psychology of fake news: Accepting, sharing, and correcting misinformation (Z. Rahimi Pergoo, Trans.). Gah Publishing. ResearchGate+2Routledge+2Taylor & Francis+2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429295379
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- Mahdizadeh Talashi, S. M., & Saadat Seerat, N. (2021). Social media and fake news in the post-truth era. Journal of Communication Research, 30(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.22034/jiscm.2020.222901.1099
- Naqibulsadat, S. R. (2012). A practical guide to preparing research in the survey method. Elm Distribution Center.
- Pennycook, G., & Rand, D. G. (2021). The psychology of fake news. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 25(5), 388–402. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2021.02.007 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2021.02.007
- Rahim, S. (2018). Media: From primitive communication to social media. Azam Publishing.
- Rini, R. (2017). Fake news and partisan epistemology. Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal, 27(2), E-43–E-64. https://doi.org/10.1353/ken.2017.0025 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/ken.2017.0025
- Sakhawati, M. E. (2023). News coverage tactics on television (Issue 1). Ma’refat.
- Shen, Y., Liu, Q., Guo, N., Yuan, J., & Yang, Y. (2023). Fake news detection on social networks: A survey. Applied Sciences, 13(21), 11877. https://doi.org/10.3390/app132111877 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/app132111877
- Soltanifar, M., et al. (2017). Fake news and ways to counter it. Media, 28(3). https://ensani.ir/fa/article/379747/
- Spohr, D. (2017). Fake news and ideological polarization: Filter bubbles and selective exposure on social media. Business Information Review, 34(3), 150–160. https://doi.org/10.1177/0266382117722446 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0266382117722446
- Zhou, X., Jain, A., Vir, V., & Zafarani, R. (2020). Fake news early detection: A theory-driven model. Digital Threats: Research and Practice, 1(2), 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1145/3377478 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3377478
References
Ansari, R. (2018). A comparative study of gatekeeping in social networks and its impact on the gatekeeping of official media in Iran (Master’s thesis). Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch, Faculty of Communication and Media.
Castells, M. (2018). Toward a sociology of the network society. Oxford University Press.
Chadwick, B. (2017). Activism and media information communication and society. Information, Communication & Society, 20(9), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2019.1623904 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2019.1623904
Ghorab, H. (2019). Identifying and detecting patterns of fake news dissemination in the structure of social networks (Master’s thesis). Shahid Beheshti University.
Greifeneder, R., Jaffe, M. E., Newman, E. J., & Schwarz, N. (Eds.). (2021). The psychology of fake news: Accepting, sharing, and correcting misinformation (Z. Rahimi Pergoo, Trans.). Gah Publishing. ResearchGate+2Routledge+2Taylor & Francis+2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429295379
Howell, L. (2013). Digital wildfires in a hyperconnected world. World Economic Forum Report, 3, 15–94.
Kalsnes, B. (2018). Fake news. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Communication. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.013.809 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190228613.013.809
Leese, M. (2014). The new profiling: Algorithms, black boxes, and the failure of anti- discriminatory safeguards in the European Union. Security Dialogue, 45(5), 494–511. https://doi.org/10.1177/0967010614544204 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0967010614544204
Mahdizadeh Talashi, S. M., & Saadat Seerat, N. (2021). Social media and fake news in the post-truth era. Journal of Communication Research, 30(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.22034/jiscm.2020.222901.1099
Naqibulsadat, S. R. (2012). A practical guide to preparing research in the survey method. Elm Distribution Center.
Pennycook, G., & Rand, D. G. (2021). The psychology of fake news. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 25(5), 388–402. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2021.02.007 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2021.02.007
Rahim, S. (2018). Media: From primitive communication to social media. Azam Publishing.
Rini, R. (2017). Fake news and partisan epistemology. Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal, 27(2), E-43–E-64. https://doi.org/10.1353/ken.2017.0025 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/ken.2017.0025
Sakhawati, M. E. (2023). News coverage tactics on television (Issue 1). Ma’refat.
Shen, Y., Liu, Q., Guo, N., Yuan, J., & Yang, Y. (2023). Fake news detection on social networks: A survey. Applied Sciences, 13(21), 11877. https://doi.org/10.3390/app132111877 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/app132111877
Soltanifar, M., et al. (2017). Fake news and ways to counter it. Media, 28(3). https://ensani.ir/fa/article/379747/
Spohr, D. (2017). Fake news and ideological polarization: Filter bubbles and selective exposure on social media. Business Information Review, 34(3), 150–160. https://doi.org/10.1177/0266382117722446 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0266382117722446
Zhou, X., Jain, A., Vir, V., & Zafarani, R. (2020). Fake news early detection: A theory-driven model. Digital Threats: Research and Practice, 1(2), 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1145/3377478 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3377478