What’s the top threat facing your country? Europeans in 5 countries say it’s fake news online

We unrecorded successful a world afloat of threats. Wars rage on, heatwaves make European summers unbearable, and economical uncertainty continues to loom. The database seems endless. But what worries group astir nan world most?

The dispersed of clone news online, nan economy, and coercion are perceived arsenic nan apical nationalist threats, according to a new survey that polled much than 31,000 adults successful 25 countries earlier this year.

In Europe, concerns astir online misinformation are peculiarly pronounced. In 5 retired of nan 10 surveyed European countries – Germany, nan Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, and nan United Kingdom – nan dispersed of false information is viewed arsenic nan biggest nationalist threat, nan study found. 

In different 4 countries – France, Italy, Hungary, and Spain – mendacious accusation still ranks adjacent nan top, usually tied for first aliases arsenic nan 2nd astir pressing concern.

The European outlier is Greece, wherever misinformation is seen arsenic nan 3rd biggest threat down nan system and ambiance change. 

Jacob Poushter, subordinate head of investigation astatine nan Pew Research Center successful nan United States, suggested that caller elections successful countries for illustration Germany and Poland whitethorn person sharpened Europeans’ attitudes toward clone news.

Both elections – Germany’s successful February and Poland’s successful June – were believed to beryllium targeted by Russian disinformation campaigns.

In Germany, 81 per cent of adults considered clone news nan biggest nationalist threat, while successful Poland this fig roseate to 85 per cent, according to nan survey.

The elections “might besides beryllium a facet successful perceptions of this threat,” Poushter told Euronews Next.

Not everyone sees these threats nan aforesaid way, though, pinch awesome differences by governmental orientation.

In Germany, for example, 55 per cent of adults who had a favourable position of nan far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) statement said nan dispersed of mendacious accusation is simply a awesome threat, compared pinch 89 per cent of adults pinch an unfavourable position of AfD, nan study noted.

A akin spread betwixt correct and left-wing supporters was recorded successful Poland, Hungary, nan Netherlands, Sweden, and nan UK. 

Globally, group pinch left-leaning ideologies were much apt to spot mendacious accusation and ambiance alteration arsenic awesome threats than those connected nan right, according to nan survey. 

Fake news is simply a wide fear, pinch 1 exception

Concern astir mendacious accusation is not constricted to Europe. It is besides seen arsenic nan apical threat successful nan United States and South Korea, according to nan survey.

In 24 of nan 25 countries surveyed, majorities spot misinformation arsenic a awesome threat to their countries. 

Israel is nan only state wherever less than half of adults (43 per cent) said they judge clone news is simply a awesome threat to their country. Another 27 per cent position mendacious accusation online arsenic a insignificant threat, and 20 per cent do not see it a threat astatine all. 

“In Israel, concerns astir coercion particularly outweigh concerns astir different issues, not conscionable nan dispersed of mendacious information,” Poushter said.

“About nine-in-ten Israelis opportunity coercion is simply a awesome threat to their country, but nan shares who opportunity this astir nan different threats tested are importantly smaller,” he added.

Notably, property tin besides style people’s perceptions of clone news, nan study found. 

Older group are mostly much apt to spot mendacious accusation online arsenic a awesome threat than younger group successful Argentina, Australia, Canada, Japan, Kenya, Poland, Sweden, and nan US.

Globally, concerns astir clone news online person been precocious for years. But nan latest study shows that worries astir nan authorities of nan world system person increased, while fears astir ambiance alteration and infectious diseases person fallen crossed high-income countries.

In this changing environment, Poushter said that nan truth that mendacious accusation has remained a apical perceived threat is an important takeaway.

The bottommost line, he said, “is that group are concerned astir a batch of issues correct now”.