Majorities in most countries surveyed say social media is good for democracy
Across 27 countries surveyed, people generally see social media as more of a good thing than a bad thing for democracy.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Across 27 countries surveyed, people generally see social media as more of a good thing than a bad thing for democracy.
Most think social media has made it easier to manipulate and divide people, but they also say it informs and raises awareness.
Asked to “imagine a better world online,” experts hope for a ubiquitous – even immersive – digital environment that promotes fact-based knowledge, offers better defense of individuals’ rights, empowers diverse voices and provides tools for technology breakthroughs and collaborations to solve the world’s wicked problems.
Only 9% of adult social media users say they often post or share things about political or social issues on social media.
Roughly half of Americans think social media companies should be regulated more than they are now, our survey found.
Despite the spread of the conspiracy theories, about three-quarters of U.S. adults say they have heard or read nothing at all about them.
The tech landscape has changed dramatically over the past decade, both in the United States and around the world.
Access to mobile phones and social media is common across emerging economies. People around the world see certain benefits from these technologies, yet there are also concerns about their impact on children.
About half of Facebook users say they are not comfortable when they see how the platform categorizes them, and 27% maintain the site’s classifications do not accurately represent them.
Al Jazeera English, 2015. “The top Google searches in Syria.” Doha, Qatar: Al Jazeera English, September. Arthur, Charles. 2014. “Google Flu Trends is no longer good at predicting flu, scientists find.” New York, NY: Guardian, March. BBC. 2017. “Languages across Europe: Turkey.” BBC News, May. BBC. 2016. “Who are the Kurds?” Middle East: BBC News, […]
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