Are university students prone to fake news? A critical narrative review and explanatory model

Abstract

Introduction: In digital environments saturated with misinformation, university students consume and share content without corroborating it, which affects learning and their development as citizens. This article aims to critically synthesize the evidence on why low levels of corroboration occur when these students consume information across diverse platforms and media, and to propose an integrative explanatory model. Methods: We conducted a critical narrative review with an intentional selection of 20 key empirical studies and theoretical texts (2004–2025) on credibility assessment, lateral reading, and online reasoning; we complemented this corpus with methodological literature to ensure transparency and quality. The synthesis was carried out through thematic analysis. Results: The evidence converges on five mechanisms: (a) a predominance of vertical reading and internal site evaluation; (b) the use of heuristics and superficial cues (design, perceived reputation, the search engine’s “authority”); (c) trust in algorithmic ranking and in social media; (d) cognitive biases (confirmation, overconfidence) and the attention economy; and (e) gaps in media/digital literacy and limited explicit teaching of verification strategies. Conclusions: Low corroboration is a multilevel phenomenon that combines individual, pedagogical, and platform factors. We propose the Multilevel University Corroboration Model (MMCU) to guide research and intervention, prioritizing training in lateral reading, the design of authentic tasks, and light-touch supports (accuracy nudges) that reduce the costs of verification.