Literasi Media Sosial Mahasiswa dalam Menghadapi Infodemik

Abstract

This research aims to analyze the social media literacy skills of students in the Library and Information Science Program at Universitas Sumatera Utara in addressing the infodemic, particularly on the Instagram platform during the Covid-19 pandemic. The research adopts a descriptive qualitative method, employing interviews with five active students selected through purposive sampling. Data analysis is based on Potter’s seven media literacy indicators: analyze, evaluate, grouping, induction, deduction, synthesis, and abstracting. The results show that most students possess a good ability to filter, evaluate, and categorize information on social media, as well as to draw conclusions from the information they receive. However, one respondent was found to have a limited understanding of the information analysis process due to a lack of habit in using social media as an information source. In general, students in the Library and Information Science Program at Universitas Sumatera Utara are considered to be sufficiently media literate in confronting the infodemic and are capable of minimizing the risk of being misled by misinformation on social media.