The current study is driven by a general objective: to uncover the mechanisms behind the circulation of false digital content on social media, identify the factors influencing the decision to share such content, and propose a model to describe and interpret the processes involved in determining its form. This is approached within the framework of digital media literacy, focusing on the skills encompassed by this approach as precursors that lead to outcomes whose implications can be interpreted and monitored. The study was conducted on a sample of 392 individuals: 97 from the Arab Republic of Egypt, 99 from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 100 from the United Arab Emirates, and 96 from Tunisia. The sample was selected to align with and serve the study’s objectives. The study concluded by presenting a comprehensive philosophical framework for interpreting the phenomenon of circulating false digital content via social media. This framework is based on the digital media literacy approach and its associated models, contributing to an understanding of the dimensions of this phenomenon, ways to confront it, and how to mitigate its negative effects. The results revealed various relationships between users’ levels of mastery of the four core digital media literacy skills (access, analysis, evaluation, and content creation) and the corresponding method of circulating false digital content associated with each skill, as outlined in the study’s proposed model.