Enhancing media literacy to combat information fragmentation in digital short video platforms: a cross-sectional study.

Media literacy is a critical skill for navigating the complexities of today's digital information landscape. This study explores the relationship between media literacy levels and users' perceptions of information fragmentation on digital short video platforms, examining how media literacy impacts the diversity of media exposure and critical engagement with digital content. Conducted among Generation Z users of digital short video platforms in Guangdong Province, China, this research employed a quantitative approach with a sample of 473 participants obtained through stratified random sampling to ensure a balanced demographic representation. Using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), the study tested proposed hypotheses to analyze complex interrelationships among variables. The findings reveal that media literacy enhances cognitive control over information processing, leading to more deliberate and effective engagement with diverse media content. Furthermore, social influences positively moderate the relationship between media literacy and critical engagement, aligning with Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) by showing that supportive social environments significantly strengthen media literacy outcomes. These findings offer valuable practical implications for enhancing media literacy across education, community engagement, policy-making, and digital platform design.