Source Credibility, User Commentary, and Social Media News Sharing in the United Arab Emirates

In the digital age, social media (SM) platforms have changed how people access, verify, and share news. This study explores the effect of source credibility and user commentary on news-sharing behaviors among Arabs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Using media literacy theory, the research examines self-reported credibility-checking and how user commentary may impact news-sharing behavior. A survey of 324 respondents shows that while most use SM daily as a primary news source, nearly one-third do not share news. Therefore, the analysis includes an analytic subsample of 220 news sharers. Smartphones lead in news sharing, though usage patterns differ across platforms. Respondents express high confidence in their ability to assess credibility. Commentary is standard but only weakly related to credibility checks. There are notable differences in news sharing, credibility checks, and user commentary based on age and gender. The results highlight the need to enhance practical media literacy for more responsible news sharing in the UAE. The importance of strengthening transparent sourcing practices, fostering audience trust through credible, verifiable content, and actively engaging with user commentary to encourage informed, responsible news-sharing behaviors on social media platforms are among the implications for newsrooms in the Emirates.