Electronic Theses and Dissertation

Pesatnya perkembangan teknologi informasi di era Revolusi Industri 4.0 mempermudah akses terhadap informasi, namun juga mendorong maraknya penyebaran berita bohong (Hoax). Di Aceh, tercatat 4.888 kasus hoaks sejak 2019 hingga pertengahan 2024, disertai penurunan literasi digital masyarakat pada tahun 2022. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis pengaruh literasi digital terhadap perilaku penyebaran berita bohong di kalangan Generasi Z di Kota Banda Aceh. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kuantitatif deskriptif dengan metode survei. Sampel sebanyak 120 responden ditentukan dengan teknik purposive sampling dan rumus Slovin. Data dikumpulkan melalui kuesioner skala Likert dan dianalisis menggunakan regresi linear sederhana. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa literasi digital berpengaruh signifikan dan negatif terhadap perilaku penyebaran hoaks, dengan kontribusi pengaruh sebesar 52,1%. Nilai koefisien regresi -0,409 menunjukkan bahwa peningkatan literasi digital dapat menurunkan kecenderungan menyebarkan berita bohong. Temuan ini selaras dengan teori kognitif sosial Albert Bandura yang menekankan peran kognisi dalam mengendalikan perilaku. Dengan demikian, peningkatan literasi digital menjadi kunci dalam membentuk sikap kritis dan bertanggung jawab terhadap informasi yang diterima dan disebarkan di ruang digital.
Kata kunci: literasi digital, penyebaran hoaks, Generasi Z, komunikasi digital, teori kognitif sosial.

The rapid advancement of information and communication technology in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution has facilitated access to information, but also contributed to the widespread dissemination of false information (Hoaxes). In Aceh, there have been 4,888 reported Hoax cases from 2019 to mid-2024, accompanied by a significant decline in digital literacy in 2022. This study aims to analyze the influence of digital literacy on the behavior of spreading Hoaxes among Generation Z in Banda Aceh City. This research uses a descriptive quantitative approach with a survey method. A sample of 120 respondents was determined using purposive sampling and the Slovin formula. Data were collected through a Likert-scale questionnaire and analyzed using simple linear regression. The results show that digital literacy has a significant and negative effect on Hoax-spreading behavior, with a contribution of 52.1%. A regression coefficient value of -0.409 indicates that an increase in digital literacy reduces the tendency to spread false news. These findings are in line with Albert Bandura's social cognitive theory, which emphasizes the role of cognition in controlling behavior. Therefore, improving digital literacy is essential to foster critical and responsible attitudes toward the information received and shared in digital spaces. Keywords: digital literacy, Hoax dissemination, Generation Z, digital communication, social cognitive theory.