The Effect of Social Media on The Spread of Covid-19 Hoax News Among Students
Context: All information that the public wants to know can be accessed through various platforms, one of which is social media. Especially in a pandemic like this, information related to Covid-19 will be needed. However, social media can also be a place for people to spread hoax news easily. Students as agents of change are expected to be role models for society in using the internet. Purpose: to find out where the perpetrators of spreading hoax news take their actions and also we want to know the various forms of hoax news that are spread. In addition, we also want to know what actions students take as agents of change in response to the hoax news they encounter. Questions: We formulated four questions in this research, namely, what media are often found in hoax news by students? In what forms are hoax news often encountered by students? What is the content of hoax news that students usually encounter? How are students as a student? How do agents of change respond to the hoax news they encounter? Methods: We used quantitative research methods in the form of online surveys with Google Forms to present data and followed by qualitative methods in the form of interviews with respondents. We combine the studies that have been done for further analysis. Results: our research shows that students often receive hoax news about Covid-19. They found various forms and contents of hoax news. In addition, each student has their own way of responding to the hoax news they get. Limitations: The limitation of our research is the range of respondents which only includes students who live in Surabaya. Recommendation: our next research is to expand the reach of respondents and look for respondents who have been spreading hoax news to find out the motives they use.