Communications in Humanities Research ISSN: 2753-7072
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Research Article

The Collective Impacts of Social Cues, Cognitive Heuristics, and Algorithmic Mediation on Users' Credibility Judgments in Social-Media Environments

Xueqing Ma*
University of Birmingham

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

The rapid change of social media has fundamentally altered the way people access and evaluate information. However, even though Internet does provide a broader view to gather information, it also makes users hard to distinguish reliable information from misinformation. Thus, this study explores why do people tend to trust information they encounter online without verifying it. Through the methods of literature review and case study, the research analyzes the influence of social media, roles of algorithms, and information credibility on users' perception of online information. The paper finds that people tend to trust all the information online not simply because they don't have the ability to distinguish the truth from falsehood, but because social media encourages the users to rely on shortcuts when judging information. The findings could contribute to a deeper understanding of how digital-age social media shapes users' perceptions of judging information credibility.

Keywords: Social Media; Online Information Credibility; Algorithmic recommendation; Information Overload; Social Proof
Published: October 13, 2026
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/2026.BA37711
Volume: CHR Vol.123
pp. 54-60
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