Can We Trust What We See on Facebook?

In a more recent study by Hussain, Rafique, and Naveed (2023), the credibility of Facebook content among university students was evaluated. The results indicated that the information on Facebook was deemed credible and of good quality by the students, especially if it came from sources they believed in. 

The most significant factors influencing this trust were source credibility, reliability of the platform, and information quality. Surprisingly, the age, education level, and social status of a student also influenced how they assessed credibility. 

It reminds me that as we are prone to scrolling rapidly, we're always assessing what's real and what's not, even when we don't even realize we're doing so. It's a helpful reminder to pay attention to why we trust what we do. 


Reference: 

Hussain, K. M., Rafique, G. M., & Naveed, M. A. (2023). Determinants of social media information credibility among university students. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 49(4), 102745. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acalib.2023.102745 

Comments

  1. MJWJune 8, 2025 at 3:08 AM

    Hi Aastha, thank you for your blog. I think you have some valid points here, the point about how students deemed information available via Facebook to be credible and of good quality is interesting. Information that is available via online platforms is plentiful and I think people are attached to topics and groups that align with their existing POV, the ability to critically think and collect information from various sources may be under attack. Your point about paying attention is a good one.

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  2. nickinickelzJune 8, 2025 at 4:29 PM

    This is such a timely reflection, as our feeds become more crowded with content that blends news, and opinion. I appreciate how you pointed out the subconscious nature of credibility assessment. Sometimes we trust something simply because it feels right or aligns with what we already believe. The study’s findings also make me think about how personal factors like education or social status subtly shape our digital judgment.

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