23% of users in U.S. say social media led them to change views on an issue; some cite Black Lives Matter
The share of social media users who say they have changed their views on an issue has increased since we last asked this question in 2018.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
The share of social media users who say they have changed their views on an issue has increased since we last asked this question in 2018.
A majority of Americans are concerned about digital collection and use of their data by both companies and the government.
More than half of comments submitted to the FCC on net neutrality used temporary or duplicate email addresses, and seven popular comments accounted for 38% of all submissions.
Many experts say digital life will continue to expand people’s boundaries and opportunities. Yet nearly a third think that people’s overall well-being will be more harmed than helped in coming years.
Overall, 36% of Americans get science news at least a few times a week and three-in-ten actively seek it. Most get science news from general news outlets, but more see specialty sources as being accurate.
Despite broad concerns about cyberattacks, outages and privacy violations, most experts believe the Internet of Things will continue to expand successfully the next few years.
Experts are split on whether the coming years will see less misinformation online. Those who foresee improvement hope for technological and societal solutions. Others say bad actors using technology can exploit human vulnerabilities.
Exposure to a range of new ideas and viewpoints that many social media users encounter can occasionally cause people to change their minds about political issues or candidates.
Many experts fear uncivil and manipulative behaviors on the internet will persist – and may get worse.
Many experts say lack of trust won’t hinder increased public reliance on the internet. Some expect trust to grow as tech and regulatory changes arise; others think it will worsen or maybe change entirely.
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