How does social media knowledge help in combating fake news? Testing a structural equation model

To counter the spread of fake news among social media users in Nigeria, this study modelled the moderating function of social media knowledge. To collect responses from participants throughout Nigeria's geopolitical zones, an online poll was run. The data were analysed using Smart PLS 3.6′s structural equation modelling (SEM). We discovered that among Nigerian social media users, instant news sharing, self-promotion, self-expression, and altruism are factors that contribute to the spread of false news. Particularly, altruism and self-promotion had a stronger impact on the dissemination of fake news. We discovered that among people with greater social media knowledge, the correlations between instant news sharing, self-promotion, self-expression, altruism, and false news sharing are less. This study's conclusion section highlighted how this result adds to both theory and practice.