Pew Survey: Social Media Harms Democracy Through Rumors
A new Pew Research Center survey across 37 countries reveals that a large segment of the public believes social media weakens democracy.
A recent survey conducted by the Pew Research Center has revealed that an increasing number of people think social media divides people and harms democracy by spreading rumors. Skepticism on this issue was observed to be particularly high in developed economies such as the US, Canada, and the UK.
Growing Global Concerns and Legal Pressures
Companies operating popular platforms like Meta, Snap, and TikTok have faced thousands of lawsuits and paid massive settlements amid allegations of harming their users. This situation has led to increased regulatory scrutiny on companies worldwide.
Bans Imposed for Children in Australia
Australia has become the first country to implement a ban for those under 16 in order to protect children from social media. The survey showed that 82 percent of Australian adults support the government's restriction decision.
Two Differing Views on the Role of Social Media
The majority of survey participants stated that social media informs people and provides a voice in politics. However, compared to 2022, there has been a significant increase in the proportion of people who think social media is a bad thing.
Emphasis on Democracy in Wealthy Countries
Citizens in countries with higher gross domestic product per capita, such as the US, Canada, and the UK, are more inclined to believe that social media harms democracy compared to countries with lower GDP, such as Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria.
Skepticism in the US and Other Countries
Sixty-four percent of adult participants in the US stated that social media harms democracy. In 16 of the 26 countries where older data could be compared, the proportion of those who think social media is bad for democracy showed an increase.
Details of the Comprehensive Study
The Pew Research Center announced that surveys were conducted with over 45,000 people across 37 countries, and the opinions of 5,511 American adults were also consulted to examine social media usage in the US.