Fake News in the Digital Age: The Role of Social Media and its Consequences

In the current digitized world, digital media forms like blogs, online news media, social media, etc., have replaced conventional news transmission platforms like newspapers and magazines. This research aims to examine the format, structure, and themes of fake news on social media. This research paper employed a qualitative content analysis methodology. The study collected & analyzed data from fifty viral stories about fake news. The dataset only extends from January 2025 to June 2025. The goal of this study is to help individuals better understand fake news ecosystems by showing how stories are made and shared on social media. It also shows how important it is to teach people how to use technology responsibly, critically, and proactively in order to lessen the effects of fake information that is spreading in the public domain.