Infodemic Among Students: A Systematic Literature Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4067/s0718-27242025000200092Keywords:
Infodemic, Students, Misinformation, COVID-19, Information BehaviorAbstract
This study conducts a systematic review of the literature on the infodemic phenomenon among students. The review analyzes 34 peer-reviewed papers and identifies four main analytical axes: informational behavior of the students, the consequences of the infodemic, coping strategies, and the interplay of digital culture and structural inequalities that shape students’ informational vulnerabilities. The results reveal that students’ digital information practices are strongly influenced by speed and accessibility, often at the expense of reliability and critical assessment. This behavior leads to frequent exposure to misinformation, with significant implications for mental health, academic performance, and institutional trust. The results also show that informational inequalities are more evident in regions with poor digital infrastructure. Strategies to mitigate this phenomenon include educational interventions, digital tools, and institutional communication policies, but these remain fragmented and context-specific. This review suggests that the infodemic should be understood not only as a crisis of information overload but also as a manifestation of systemic inequities and insufficient media literacy. The findings call for integrated policies and educational practices to promote critical and emotional competencies to navigate in the digital environment.
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