impacto de las noticias falsas sobre política nacional en la percepción de los estudiantes de los primeros semestres de la facultad de cc. ss de la utmach

Abstract

Fake news or fake news represents a significant problem in today's society, especially in the political sphere, where its dissemination can influence the perception and decision-making of citizens. This research analyzes the impact of fake news about national politics on the perception of students in the first semesters of the Faculty of Social Sciences of the Technical University of Machala. The study used a mixed approach, combining surveys administered to 265 students with monitoring of digital media, including social networks, to identify the consumption of political information and the verification strategies used. The results reveal that the majority of students are informed through of social networks, mainly Facebook and TikTok, and that there is a medium-high impact of fake news on their political perception. Likewise, it was identified that the most consumed topics are electoral and government issues, and that the verification strategies used by students are limited, with low use of fact-checking tools. The research concludes that, although students recognize some characteristics of fake news, the lack of adequate verification processes makes them vulnerable to misinformation. It is recommended to implement media literacy programs, promote critical thinking and strengthen training in the analysis of false news. information sources to reduce the impact of misinformation in the university community.