Social media harms democracy by spreading rumors, survey shows
XLC•A Pew Research Center survey found growing concern that social media manipulates and divides people and harms democracy. In the United States, 64% of adults said social media harms democracy; 82% of Australian adults supported restricting children’s access.
1. Survey finds rising concern
Pew Research Center said a survey of more than 45,000 people in 37 countries found a broad rise in respondents who view social media as a bad thing compared with 2022. The share who consider social media bad for democracy increased in 16 of 26 countries with older data available.
2. Views differ by country
In the United States, 64% of adults surveyed said social media harms democracy. People in wealthier countries, including the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, were more inclined to say social media harms democracy than respondents in Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria.
3. Australian restrictions draw support
Australia has proposed rules allowing users to opt out of algorithmically recommended feeds, after becoming the first country to ban social media for children under 16. Pew said 82% of Australian adults support the government’s move to restrict children’s access.
