Media literacy skills in the exercise of digital citizenship of university students in Peru

The objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between media literacy skills and the exercise of digital citizenship among Peruvian university students. The research was conducted using a quantitative approach, through an explanatory, cross-sectional design based on the positivist paradigm. The sample consisted of 444 students from 17 universities, selected through stratified probability sampling. Two validated questionnaires with high levels of reliability (α = 0.962 and α = 0.939) were used to collect data, ensuring the internal consistency of the instruments used. The results revealed that 66% of students have an intermediate level of media literacy, while 60% exercise their digital citizenship irresponsibly, evidencing a worrying disconnect between the use of technologies and the development of civic competencies. Through structural equation modeling, a positive, significant, and structural relationship (β = 0.724) was identified between the two variables, demonstrating that limitations in media skills negatively affect critical, ethical, and responsible participation in digital environments. This study is particularly relevant in the Peruvian educational context, where widespread access to the internet does not always translate into thoughtful and civic-minded use of digital media. In this sense, it is concluded that integrating media literacy into university curricula is essential, promoting critical thinking, digital responsibility, and the formation of active and conscious citizens in a society increasingly influenced by media and technology.