Digital Literacy for Mitigation of Information Disorder on Social Media

Abstract

Social media has become a space for rapid and massive production and distribution of information, often without verification. This condition contributes to the rise of information disorder, which includes misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation. This study examines information disorder within the content of the Instagram account @lambe_turah, one of Indonesia’s largest entertainment accounts with significant influence over public perception. The urgency of this research lies in understanding how entertainment content can shape social meaning, generate cognitive bias, and potentially mislead audiences within a vulnerable digital ecosystem. The study employs the Information Disorder framework by Wardle & Derakhshan and the concept of virtual ethnography, focusing solely on the message level. A qualitative constructivist paradigm is used to analyze meaning-making and communication patterns that emerge from digital content. Data were collected through non-participant observation of posts uploaded by @lambe_turah from 8–13 August 2025, supported by documentation and relevant literature. The analysis applies qualitative content analysis Krippendorff through coding, categorization, data reduction, and inference. The results reveal that @lambe_turah’s content frequently contains elements of information disorder. These appear through provocative headlines, ambiguous visuals, lack of source verification, and framing that emphasizes emotional responses over accuracy. Findings indicate the presence of misinformation due to unverified content, disinformation through clickbait and manipulated context, and malinformation where truthful information is shared in ways that may harm or embarrass individuals. These patterns are shaped by social media algorithms, fast-paced information culture, and digital economic motives tied to engagement. This study highlights the need for stronger digital literacy, improved verification practices, and platform-level governance to maintain the health of the digital public sphere particularly on entertainment accounts with large audiences.