At least two-thirds support regulations, fines, and education to help stop disinformation
New York, NY — A new study by the Institute for Public Relations (IPR) and Leger finds that concerns about disinformation in the United States have returned to their highest levels since 2021, with 70% of Americans identifying disinformation, defined as “deliberately misleading or biased information” as a “major” problem, on par with issues like illegal drug use, hunger/poverty, and federal spending.
The 5th edition of the Disinformation in Society Report surveyed 2,000 U.S. adults to assess how Americans perceive false or misleading information, who they hold responsible for spreading it, and what actions they believe are necessary to combat it.
“Political affiliation is a determining factor for what sources people trust and consume, and Americans are looking for stronger accountability across social media platforms, companies, government, and other institutions,” said Dr. Tina McCorkindale, President and CEO of IPR.
Key findings:
- Personal networks such as family (82%), “people like me” (79%), and friends (75%) are the most trusted sources for accurate news and information.
- Democrats and Republicans differ widely in which sources they trust. Republicans are increasingly trusting Fox News (67%), while Democrats are most likely to trust ABC News (78%) and NBC News (78%).
- Local broadcast and print/online news were trusted by more than half of Democrats (74%) and Republicans (59%), making it one of the most highly trusted media outlets by both political parties, despite closures and mergers of local media.
- 74% believe disinformation increases political polarization, while 62% say it infringes on human rights. Nearly half (49%) believe disinformation influenced the outcome of the last U.S. presidential election.
- From social media labels to school-based education, at least two-thirds back efforts and actions by social media platforms, government, and businesses to stop the spread of disinformation, including legal and financial penalties. Nearly 8-in-10 believe schools should teach students how to evaluate disinformation critically.
- Facebook (74%), the U.S. federal government (72%), and political activist groups (71%) are seen as most responsible for spreading disinformation.
- 43% said they avoid news due to the prevalence of disinformation; 59% say they are more likely to consume news that aligns with their personal beliefs.
- 50% say encountering disinformation makes them feel anxious or stressed, and 68% say they feel upset when someone they personally know shares disinformation.
- Artificial intelligence is an emerging concern, with 56% of respondents saying it will worsen the disinformation problem despite ChatGPT experiencing increased levels of trust.
- Significant gaps exist between the extent to which the government, institutions, and individuals should combat disinformation and how well they are doing it.
“Amid growing skepticism toward national media and government sources, trust in local news remains resilient,” said Dave Scholz, Chief Strategy Officer at Leger, and the IPR Behavioral Insights Research Center (BIRC) Director. “Both Democrats and Republicans trust local broadcast and print news, making it one of the few remaining sources that bridges the partisan divide. That’s a powerful reminder of the essential role local journalism continues to play in our information ecosystem.”
About the Study:
This nationally representative study was conducted online by Leger from March 4 to March 15, 2025, and is the fifth installment in the Disinformation in Society research series. The survey results are weighted by age, gender, region, and ethnicity based on U.S. Census data.
About the Institute for Public Relations:
The Institute for Public Relations is an independent, nonprofit research foundation dedicated to fostering greater use of research and research-based knowledge in corporate communication and the public relations practice. IPR is dedicated to the science beneath the art of public relations.® IPR provides timely insights and applied intelligence that professionals can put to immediate use. All research, including a weekly research letter, is available for free at instituteforpr.org.
About Leger:
Leger is the largest Canadian-owned market research and analytics company, with more than 600 employees in eight Canadian and US offices. Leger has been working with prestigious clients since 1986. For more information: leger360.com