This study was conducted to provide a systematic framework for explaining the influencing factors, of this phenomenon. The method was mixed-methods, employing an exploratory sequential design. In the qualitative phase, the Grounded Theory method and semi-structured interviews with 13 experts were used until theoretical saturation was achieved. Qualitative data were analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding in MAXQDA software. In the quantitative phase, the obtained model was tested using a researcher-made questionnaire administered to 300 graduate students of Islamic Azad University, Tabriz Branch, selected via simple random sampling. Quantitative data were analyzed using structural equation modeling in Smart-PLS software. Findings showed that qualitative analysis led to the identification of 87 initial codes and 14 main categories within the paradigmatic model. The core category of the model was identified as "Media Literacy." Other components of the model included: Causal Conditions: sense of power in cyberspace, activists' beliefs and thoughts, virtual socialization; Contextual Conditions: cyberspace policy-making, activists' specialized knowledge, activists' understanding of cyberspace; Intervening Conditions: activists' adaptability; Strategies: need-based education, creating coherence in the definition of virtual activism, performance evaluation; Consequences: sense of effectiveness and reduction of futility, creation of practical content, empowerment of activists, modernization of activism. Quantitative results indicated that all hypothesized relationships in the structural model were confirmed (P < 0.05). The model's overall goodness-of-fit index (GOF) was 0.348 and the SRMR index was 0.071, indicating a desirable model fit. Finally, the presented model demonstrates that cyber activism is a multidimensional phenomenon with "Media Literacy" at its heart.