Unravelling the Web of Deception: A Perspective of Gen Z on Fake News

Paper Details 

Paper Code: RP-VBCL-35-2025

Category: Research Paper

Date of Publication: April 20, 2025

Citation: Ms. Neha Jain & Dr. Anand Kumar Tripathi, “Unravelling the Web of Deception: A Perspective of Gen Z on Fake News", 2, AIJVBCL, 509, 509-519 (2025).

Author Details: Ms. Neha Jain, Research Scholar, Rashtriya Raksha University, Gandhinagar

Dr. Anand Kumar Tripathi, Dean, Research & Publications, Associate Professor, School of Criminal Law and Military Law, Rashtriya

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ABSTRACT

The rapid growth in the usage of smartphones and cheaper access to internet have significantly contributed to people’s access to information. One of the most pressing problems in India is fake news, which is related to technological advancements. There are numerous negative effects of spreading false information. Over the period of time, we have seen fake news resulting in mob-lynching, violence, riots, and hatred amongst people, etc. The main objective of this research paper is to assess Gen Z’s level of awareness regarding fake news. It aims to investigate how Generation Z identifies fake news based on their perception and awareness across three variables: identification and perception, awareness, and their opinion on legislation to curb fake news. Since Generation Z is more susceptible to fake news than older adults and are more likely to believe and spread disinformation[1], this research paper examines the need for a law to curb the threat of fake news and explores Generation Z's perspective on such regulatory framework. The researcher has used quantitative data collection method using a questionnaire and data was collected from 80 law students of a university affiliated to Mumbai University. As per the analysis drawn from 80 respondents, social media stands at the highest footing for consumption of news with users consuming news anywhere from once a week to once a day. Most respondents confirm the veracity of news articles by cross checking from different sources, and have a moderate understanding of fake news. On the other hand, opinions about the veracity and accuracy of news posted on social media differ and the researchers have received mixed opinion about it. Most people lack formal education or training in spotting false information. Fake news frequently takes the form of manipulated content and false headlines, and platforms like Instagram and WhatsApp are frequently mentioned as sources of false information.

Keywords: Fake News, Gen Z, Social Media, awareness, laws etc.

INTRODUCTION

In today’s digital era, propagation of fake news has become a serious global concern. As per the “World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report, 2013”[2], misinformation can spark ‘digital wildfires’ in the hyper connected world. There has been a noticeable spike in the spread of false news. After a decade, the same report, i.e. in “World Economic Forum's 2024 Global Risk Report”[3], a survey of experts revealed that India has the highest risk of false and misleading information. Hence, it is crucial to understand how people perceive fake news in India.

Legislation to combat false information is dispersed, inadequate, and oblique. The absence of a clear provision that would hold intermediaries and content creators accountable renders the Information Technology Act, 2000, inherently deficient. As a result, Indian Parliament should make amendments in the existing legislation. Nonetheless, by applying a balanced interpretation to the current legal framework, the Indian judiciary can be extremely important in safeguarding individual rights and preventing the spread of misleading information. Controlling fake news is therefore a challenging issue because, if allowed to run amok, it can lead to instability both domestically and internationally and, if it is overly restricted, it can threaten the foundations of democracy.

The purpose of this study is first, there is a dearth of study regarding prevalence of fake news amongst Gen Z in the scholarly literature. These days, the primary source of news for people are social media platforms, but people find it harder to determine whether a message is authentic and truthful or not.[4] Second, this research holds potential for advancing the knowledge of Gen Z’s awareness level of fake news. Third, this study can significantly advance our understanding of how well Gen Z detects false news by examining their identification and perception levels, awareness levels, and perspectives on legislation aimed at curbing false information

MEANING OF FAKE NEWS

Fake news, sometimes called as junk news, means misinformation which propagates throughout the country through informal word of mouth communication as well as traditional media. Examples of this include edited videos, memes, unsubstantiated advertisements, and online content that sparks rumors. There have been numerous definitions of fake news, given by scholars, dictionaries, etc. For instance, cambridge dictionary[5] defines ‘fake news’ as “false stories that appear to be news, spread on the internet or using other media, usually created to influence political views or as a joke”. Collins dictionary[6] defines ‘fake news’ as “false, often sensational, information disseminated under the guise of news reporting”Arun & Chinmayi[7], 2019 defines ‘fake news’ as “the online publication of intentionally or knowingly false statements of fact”. Anup &Atmaram, 2022 defines fake news as “false news, [nonfactual ( including fabricated , nonfabricated) exaggerated or disparaged] which can be disinformation or misinformation ( published , communicated ) or disseminated with help of any means”.[8] According to the definition given above, fake news consists of the following elements: (1) false information; (2) non-factual information that can be fabricated, non- fabricated, exaggerated, or disparaged; (3) misinformation or disinformation; and (4) most of its dissemination occurs online on social media.

NEXUS BETWEEN SOCIAL MEDIA AND FAKE NEWS

The web's atmosphere has been tainted by fake news, which is fueling hatred among people and riots, lynchings, and mob violence. Social media such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter are used by millions of internet users in India. These platforms are also being used to disseminate spurred and planted stories, edited pictures, and gossipy tidbits that spread like wildfire. The Muzzafarnagar riots of 2013, the video of a dying woman being molested, and the disappearance of JNU student Najeeb Ahmed, who joined ISIS, all made headlines. are some well-known cases of false information in India.[9] At the beginning of 2024, when internet penetration was at 52.4%, there were 751.5 million internet users in India, according to the Digital India 2024 report.[10]According to DataReportal and Kepios analysis, there were 462 million (32.2% of India's total population) active social media accounts and 821 million internet users in India, which is an increase of 2.6% or 19 million internet users.[11]

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This research paper is an empirical study highlighting Generation Z as its demographic profile. The targeted participants for this study were Gen Z who are active users of social media. Data has been collected using a questionnaire via google forms consisting of questions to understand how Gen Z identifies fake news and their view regarding legislative framework to critically gauge information in an era dominated by digital media. The questions are formed Awareness Level Regarding Fake News on three variables-Identification and Perception of Fake News, Awareness Level Regarding Fake News, Opinion on Legislation to Curb Fake News.

Generation Z refers to the youngest generation born between 1997 and 2012, they are digital natives raised in a world where smartphones, the internet, and technology are a constant in their day-to-day existence.[12]The age range for this study is set from 12 to 27 years who are enrolled in a University affiliated with Mumbai University. Convenience sampling was employed in the quantitative method to gather data from 80 university students in order to address the research question.

Recent findings from a report titled "Truth Be Told,"[13] by communication consulting firm The 23 Watts, explore the complex relationship between Delhi's GenZ and the widespread problem of disinformation. A survey with over 1,200 participants served as the basis for the report. According to the report, there is a spike in the use of fake news around national events like elections, as reported by 90% of respondents.Approximately 80% of those surveyed acknowledge that fake news has influenced their perceptions and opinions. The results of this study are particularly concerning because they demonstrate how easily GenZ can be misled when making crucial decisions that affect the entire community.

RESEARCH FINDINGS

A survey was conducted to gauge the awareness and perception level of fake news amongst 80 students belonging to Generation Z. This research paper aims to investigate how Generation Z identifies fake news based on their perception and awareness across three variables: identification and perception, awareness, and their opinion on legislation to curb fake news. The questions captured aspects like demographic profiles, news consumption habits, familiarity with fake news and views upon measures to curb the menace caused by fake news. The questions covered areas like, preferred source of news, consumption of news, usage of social media, verification and awareness level of Gen Z.Overall, the data shows that Gen Z are significantly aware regarding fake news, but it also emphasizes the need for stronger laws and improved training skills and education to stop its spread.

I.                   Awareness regarding fake news

Out of the 80 respondents belonging from Gen Z, (38.8%) 31 of them were moderately familiar with fake news, followed by extremely familiar (28 respondents), then somewhat familiar (13). There were 8 respondents who were slightly or not at all (8.8% & 1.3% respectively) aware about fake news.

II.                Preferred Source of News

The main news sources for Gen Z are social media, followed by mobile applications. It can be very well observed that, for Gen Z, television is not a preferred source.Out of 80 respondents, 43 respondents use social media as a source of their information, followed by 29 for mobile applications (like Hindustan times, times of India, in shorts, etc.). This highlights a clear inclination towards social media sites amongst Gen Z for the purposes of gaining information/ news.

III.             Usage Of Social Media Platform

On question regarding their usage of various social media platforms. The results show that, with 71 users (88.8%), Instagram is the most popular platform. YouTube, with 66 respondents (82.5%), is the next most popular platform. Additionally, a significant percentage of students—58, or 72.5% indicate that they use WhatsApp. Facebook, on the other hand, has the lowest engagement rate (20 %), with just 16 users. Overall, the data illustrates Gen Z’s preferences, demonstrating a propensity for social media platforms.

IV.             Verification of the Authenticity Of The News Articles

Gender	Yes	No
Female	42	11
Male	19	7
Others	0	1

With respect to gender and news verification, the data summary about affirmation (yes) and negation (No) of the 80 respondents, Mean = 16.00, Std = 15.94, Min = 1.00, Max = 42.00. This study reveals that women tend to verify the accuracy of news more than men, with 42 responding in favor of verification to just 11 against. Owing to its low representation in the selected sample, the Gen Z belonging from "Others" category were only 1, and hence it has minimal impact.

V.                Kinds of Fake News Respondents Come Across the Most

Based on 80 responses, Figure 5 depicts the different kinds of fake news that Generation Z has come across on social media. Six categories are used to group the fake news: Politics, Health, Crime, Entertainment, Religion and Miscellaneous. The categories that are mentioned the most are politics (82.5%), followed by religion (70%), Entertainment (68.8%), then Crime (57.5%), then Health (42.5%) and finance (28.7%) receiving the least attention.

VI.             Social Media With Maximum Fake News

On combining two questions about frequency of encountering false information on social media and platforms where most misinformation is found, it has been observed that around 41 respondents encounter fake news sometimes followed by Very often (27 respondents) and most of which fake news have been come on Whatsapp (65 respondents), followed by Instagram (58 respondents), followed by facebook (40 respondents), 30 on youtube then 9 on twitter.

VII.          Gen Z's Perception on Fake News

Gen Z’s Perception on fake news	Strongly Disagree	Disagree	Neutral	Agree	Strongly agree
Accuracy and reliability of news shared via social media	6	26	42	4	2
Identification of fake news	3	7	33	32	5
Distinguish between real and fake news	2	24	30	21	3
Current measures are sufficient to combat fake news	15	39	23	3	0
Need for stricter laws for fake news	0	1	10	29	40
Public education will address the issue of fake news more than legislation	4	4	30	42	10
Government intervention is necessary to prevent fake news	0	4	23	27	26

Gen Z is skeptical regarding the accuracy and reliability of news shared on social media with most being neutral (42) and disagree (26). They are somewhat confident in identification of the fake news (33 and 32 respondents being neutral and agree respectively), however, noticeable thing is that, despite being confident in identification, they find it hard to distinguish fake news from real news (24 respondents can’t distinguish the two). When the respondents were asked to share the opinion whether current measures to curb the fake news are sufficient, it has been observed that a considerable majority of respondents (54 out of 80) were found to disagree or strongly disagree that the current countermeasures to fake news are insufficient. This suggests that there is widespread dissatisfaction with the current policies. Most people lack formal education or training in spotting false information and thinks that public education and awareness can strongly address the menace caused by fake news more than a legislation. The majority of Gen Z respondents, i.e. 69 out of 80, strongly agree or agree that there should be stricter laws to regulate fake news. This implies a significant demand for stricter laws among Gen Z.

DISCUSSION

The result of this study shows that the preferred source of news for 80 respondents belonging to Gen Z is social media (53.8%). Most of the respondents are aware about fake news. Respectively 38% & 35% of the respondents are moderately and extremely familiar are aware about prevalence of fake news.

The data indicates that fake news is a sensitive subject these days and has a negative impact on Gen Z. They are exposed to false and misleading information in addition to positive and encouraging news. These results demonstrate that the misuse of social media is happening in disseminating erroneous information regarding Politics (82.2%), Religion (70%) and entertainment (68.8%). The respondents are somewhat confident in identification of the fake news (41.3% and 40% respondents being neutral and agree respectively), however, noticeable thing is that, despite being confident in identification, they find it hard to distinguish fake news from real news (24 respondents can’t distinguish the two).

Around 55% respondents says that after encountering with fake news, they just ignore it. It is pertinent to note here that, even if the awareness level amongst GenZ is good, but, eventually, it is serving barely any purpose, since most of them are not even reporting such news or blocking such fake news, which shows the dire need of education regarding fake news amongst them. Stricter laws to regulate fake news should be in place, according to 85% of respondents who either strongly agree or agree.

To conclude, although Gen Z are moderately aware regarding the gravity and significance of fake news, they still require much more in the way of new media education in their academic programs. For all users of social media, not just Gen Z, media literacy training is essential so they can distinguish between real news and fake or misleading news. In conclusion, the study's findings shed important light on how university Gen Z students perceive fake news with respect to identification and perception, awareness, and their opinion on legislation to curb fake news.

CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATIONS

Social media's rise has presented modern democracies with a number of challenges, including violence, hatred within communities, privacy issues, and false information. Consequently, social media has now emerged as a new front in the war. Social media sites have long been involved in the global democratization of voices. It's crucial to remember how quickly false information spreads like a wildfire- a digital wildfire. Generation Z is particularly vulnerable to fake news and misinformation since, they spend significant time using information and communication technology.

From this research, it can be understood that everyone who uses social media, not just Gen Z, needs to be aware of and recognize fake news. According to this study, students are moderately aware of the fake news, however, they can barely distinguish between fake and real news. In a nation like India, where media literacy is relatively low and the number of social media users is rapidly rising, this kind of research is especially crucial. India should prioritize internet safety, cybersecurity, and education about fake news throughout the academic curriculum, similar to Italy.

The limitation of this study is that it is restricted to 80 law students belonging to Gen Z from a university affiliated with Mumbai University, hence, its findings cannot be generalized to other populations.Therefore, regulation, awareness, and education are needed to end this "infodemic." Individuals ought to be intelligent and perceptive enough to distinguish between false and authentic news. Before a piece of news is carelessly posted on social media, it should be checked to see if it makes any wild or emotional claims. Controlling fake news is therefore a difficult problem because, if left unchecked, it could cause instability on a national and international level and, if done so, it could undermine the democratic system. To restore trust in the internet without compromising media and web opportunities, it will be necessary to combat fake news. This will involve state-funded training, enforcing rules, and working with tech companies to develop algorithms that are suitable for curating news.

* Research Scholar at Rashtriya Raksha University, Gandhinagar.

** Dean, Research & Publications, Associate Professor, School of Criminal Law and Military Law, Rashtriya Raksha University (An Institute of National Importance), Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

[1]Brandwagon Online, ‘90% of  Delhi youth witness spike in Fake News during Elections; 91% believe it influences voting patterns, revealed The 23 Watts report’ Financial Express (India, 10 May 2024)

[2]World Economic Forum, Global Risks 2013Eighth Edition(Insight Report, 2012)

[3]World Economic Forum, Global Risks Report 2024(10 January 2024)

[4] Hunt Allcott, Matthew Gentzkow, ‘Social Media and Fake News in the 2016 Election’ [2017] JEP 211

[5]Cambridge Dictionary (4thedn, 2021)

[6]Collins Dictionary (14thedn, 2024)

[7] Arun, Chinmayi,‘On WhatsApp, Rumours, Lynchings, andIndian Government’ (2019)54 EPW 6

[8] Anup RameshraoKawthalkar, Dr. Atmaram Shelke, ‘Critical Analysis of Laws on Fake News in India’(2022) 6 JPPW8642,8652

[9]Tanya Sharma, ‘Law regarding fake news in India’ (Lex Life, 28 May 2020] https://lexlife.in/2020/05/28/law-regarding-fake-news-in-india/accessed on 22 March 2025

[10] Simon Kemp, Digital 2024: India(Datareportal, 2024).

[11] Cherry Gupta, ‘Top 10 most popular social media platforms in 2024: Telegram ranks 8th amid ban concerns’Indian Express(India, 28 August 2024)

[12]Britannica (15thedn, 2010)

[13]‘Truth be told, Decoding the prevalence of fake news amongst Delhi youth’ (The 23 Watts report May 2024)https://www.the23watts.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Truth-be-Told-by-The-23-watts.pdf accessed on 23 March 2025