Social Media & News Credibility: A Quantitative Study of X (Twitter) Users in Pakistan

Abstract

The rapid digitalization has changed the society and people access and engage with news has also transformed. In Pakistan, social media platforms in general and X (formerly Twitter) in particular, have also become main source of real-time information gathering and public discussion. This study has examined how Pakistani users of X (formerly Twitter) evaluate the credibility of news content, exploring the relationship between patterns of X usage, digital literacy and trust in information sources, and how these factors influence users’ ability to distinguish authentic news from misinformation. A quantitative research design was adopted based on a structured survey of active X users in the country. The study identifies the extent of dependence on X for news, judgement of news authenticity, and the impact of misinformation on public trust in media. The findings contributes to the development of media literacy initiatives, improved verification practices, and strategies for mitigating the harmful effects of misinformation in Pakistan’s digital environment