Impact of multi-platform social media news use on civic participation: the mediating role of news engagement and the moderated mediation effect of news trust

Abstract

This study examined the effect of multi-platform social media news use in a digital media environment, leading to civic participation through news engagement. It also explored how these indirect effects vary depending on the level of news trust. To this end, 45,011 responses from adults nationwide were analyzed using the 2022 Media Users in Korea data by the Korea Press Foundation. First, it determined that the level of diversity in news media use in the digital environment promotes civic participation. Second, multi-platform news use fostered civic participation via news engagements. Third, the indirect effect of news engagement between multi-platform news and civic participation depends on the level of news trust. This underscores the significance of varied media consumption and trust in promoting civic engagement, with higher levels of news engagement acting as a crucial mechanism by which multi-platform news use leads to greater participation. Specifically, when users trust the news they consume, a combination of diverse news sources and increased engagement significantly enhances their involvement in civic activities, highlighting the roles of both news engagement and trust in enhancing the impact of digital media on civic participation.