Electronic Theses and Dissertation

Perkembangan media sosial telah membawa kemudahan dalam memperoleh dan menyebarkan informasi, namun juga meningkatkan penyebaran berita hoaks, terutama yang bermuatan politik dan SARA. Kondisi tersebut menuntut mahasiswa, khususnya mahasiswa Program Studi Pendidikan Pancasila dan Kewarganegaraan (PPKn), memiliki kemampuan berpikir kritis dalam menganalisis informasi yang diterima. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis kemampuan mahasiswa PPKn FKIP Universitas Syiah Kuala dalam mengidentifikasi dan menganalisis berita hoaks di media sosial, baik yang berkaitan dengan isu politik maupun isu SARA. Penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan jenis studi kasus terhadap 12 mahasiswa yang dipilih melalui teknik purposive sampling. Data dikumpulkan melalui wawancara mendalam (in-depth interview) dengan teknik vignette dan dianalisis menggunakan model Miles, Huberman, dan Saldaña yang meliputi kondensasi data, penyajian data, serta penarikan kesimpulan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa sebagian besar mahasiswa telah memiliki kemampuan yang baik dalam mengidentifikasi berita hoaks melalui pemeriksaan kredibilitas sumber, verifikasi fakta, perbandingan informasi dari berbagai media, serta pengenalan ciri-ciri konten manipulatif. Dalam menganalisis hoaks politik, mahasiswa mampu mengevaluasi isi berita secara kritis, mengenali framing informasi, dan mengidentifikasi kepentingan politik yang melatarbelakanginya, meskipun sebagian masih dipengaruhi oleh bias konfirmasi dan faktor emosional. Sementara itu, dalam menghadapi hoaks bermuatan SARA, mahasiswa menunjukkan tingkat kehati-hatian yang lebih tinggi karena memahami potensi dampaknya terhadap persatuan dan kerukunan masyarakat. Penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa kemampuan analisis mahasiswa PPKn terhadap berita hoaks di media sosial tergolong baik, namun masih perlu diperkuat melalui pengembangan literasi digital, kemampuan berpikir kritis, dan pendidikan kewarganegaraan yang adaptif terhadap perkembangan teknologi informasi.

Kata Kunci: Berita hoaks, Media sosial, Literasi digital, Berpikir kritis, Mahasiswa PPKn.

The rapid development of social media has made it easier for people to access and disseminate information, but it has also accelerated the spread of hoax news, particularly those related to political and socio-cultural issues involving ethnicity, religion, race, and intergroup relations (SARA). This phenomenon requires university students, especially those majoring in Civic Education, to possess critical thinking skills in evaluating the credibility of information. This study aims to analyze the ability of students of the Civic Education Study Program, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Syiah Kuala University, to identify and analyze hoax news circulated on social media, particularly those related to political and SARA issues. This research employed a qualitative approach using a case study design involving 12 students selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through in-depth interviews using the vignette technique and analyzed using the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña, consisting of data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings indicate that most students demonstrate good abilities in identifying hoax news by examining source credibility, verifying facts, comparing information from multiple sources, and recognizing the characteristics of manipulated content. In analyzing political hoaxes, students were able to critically evaluate news content, identify information framing, and recognize the political interests behind the information, although some participants were still influenced by confirmation bias and emotional factors. When responding to SARA-related hoaxes, students showed greater caution because they were aware of the potential impact on social harmony and national unity. The study concludes that the analytical ability of Civic Education students in dealing with hoax news on social media is generally good. However, this ability should be further strengthened through the enhancement of digital literacy, critical thinking skills, and civic education that is responsive to the development of information technology. Keywords: Hoax News, Social Media, Digital Literacy, Critical Thinking, Civic Education Students.