An oasis of bipartisanship: Republicans and Democrats distrust social media sites for political and election news
Both Democrats and Republicans express far more distrust than trust of social media sites as sources for political and election news.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Both Democrats and Republicans express far more distrust than trust of social media sites as sources for political and election news.
Americans who closely follow political news are more likely to have confidence that the public will accept election results. And that’s true across party boundaries.
Many who use social media say they regularly see false or misleading content, but also view these platforms as offering new avenues for political engagement.
Majorities of adults say they would be open to participating in some parts of the process of identifying and isolating coronavirus victims, but others are reluctant to engage fully with public health authorities.
A majority of Republicans say technology firms support the views of liberals over conservatives and that social media platforms censor political viewpoints. Still, Americans tend to feel that these firms benefit them and – to a lesser degree – society.
Most Americans continue to get news on social media, even though many have concerns about its accuracy.
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.
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.
People deal in varying ways with tensions about what information to trust and how much they want to learn. Some are interested and engaged with information; others are wary and stressed.
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.
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