Trend or Trust: How College Students Perceive Credible Information on Instagram

Abstract

This study examines how college students recognize, interpret, and respond to misinformation on Instagram, a visually driven and algorithmically curated platform where credibility cues are often ambiguous. Young adults frequently rely on Instagram for news, health updates, and current events, yet prior research shows that credibility judgments on social media are heavily shaped by emotional tone, engagement metrics, presentation quality, and social endorsements rather than factual accuracy. Using a mixed-methods approach, this project integrates semi-structured interviews with a short survey in which participants evaluate researcher-created Instagram posts designed to mimic credible, ambiguous, and misleading content. Interview questions explore how students identify trust cues—such as verification badges, captions, comment quality, or source familiarity—while survey responses capture credibility ratings and engagement intentions across posts varying in design and emotional appeal. Thematic analysis and descriptive statistics are combined to identify patterns in recognition, interpretation, and behavioral response. Expected findings suggest that students will rely predominantly on visual and social cues when making credibility judgments, often rating emotionally engaging or polished posts as more trustworthy regardless of content accuracy. Additionally, while students may report intentions to verify or ignore questionable information, emotional tone and peer engagement are expected to influence actual or intended behaviors, aligning with previous research on platform-driven biases. Insights from this study may inform digital-literacy education and highlight how platform design, user psychology, and algorithmic personalization contribute to the spread of misinformation. By understanding how college students evaluate credibility on Instagram, this research supports efforts to foster more critical digital engagement and strengthen communication strategies in an increasingly visual media environment.