The Impact of Fake News on Malaysians

Wong, Xie Yee (2023) The Impact of Fake News on Malaysians. Final Year Project (Bachelor), Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology.

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Abstract

In an era of rapid dissemination of information through digital platforms, the proliferation of fake news phenomena has become a serious concern for societies around the world. The prevalence of fake news has consequences, especially negative effects and it’s important to understand all of these effects. By understanding those negative ones, individuals or society may recognise fake news and lessen its harmful effects by being aware of its subtleties. This thesis investigates the multifaceted impact of fake news on Malaysians as the mass public should not underestimate the fake news phenomenon as well. Previous study in the literature has had a limited reach; some studies have primarily focused on specific themes or events, such as the 2018 general election or the COVID-19 pandemic. While these studies have provided valuable insights into the impact of fake news in these contexts, they may not capture the full extent of the problem. A more comprehensive study that examines the impact of fake news across different topics and events would be beneficial. Research design in this study is quantitative research as in the method of survey questionnaire. A total of 60 respondents were collected for this study. The population of this study will mainly target the Malaysian public with different races and age ranges. Findings indicate that fake news has a significant impact due to the lack of media literacy and critical reasoning. The frequency of fake news has left respondents perplexed and upset, and some have even indicated a lack of faith in media sources. The propagation of false information may have negative impacts on people's ability to find the truth, their ability to trust others, their emotions or behaviors. The necessity of teaching media literacy is highlighted by the findings, which also showed that Malaysians were more likely to encounter fake news and more likely to believe it. Overall, the findings imply that disseminating false information is a significant issue in Malaysia that has to be addressed by people, organizations, the media, and others.