Medıa lıteracy educatıon as a fıeld of crıtıcal resıstance agaınst ıdeologıcal dısınformatıon on socıal medıa

Abstract

This qualitative study investigates how Generation Z participants perceive, interpret, and respond to ideological disinformation on social media. It adopts a case study approach based on semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 18 participants selected through criterion sampling, all of whom are active users of Facebook, X, and Instagram. The study draws on Wardle and Derakhshan’s information disorder framework, van Dijk and Eagleton’s approaches to ideology, Çakmak’s analysis of ideological disinformation, and Potter and Livingstone’s perspectives on critical media literacy. The findings indicate awareness of ideological disinformation, partisanship, fake profiles, troll accounts, image manipulation, and perception management. However, responses are predominantly individual and defensive, with limited systematic information verification. The study concludes that media literacy should encompass source evaluation, contextual interpretation, recognition of ideological framing, and understanding of algorithms, thereby strengthening democratic citizenship and critical participation in digital environments.