Almost a third of adults in Ireland have mistakenly shared misinformation online

Research shows 32 per cent of adults in Ireland have shared misinformation online before realising it was false.

The research from Pure Telecom reveals that 87 per cent believe it is now a serious problem facing modern society.

46 per cent admit misinformation has influenced their opinions or beliefs in the past.

69 per cent report they have seen information online that they initially believed to be true, only to later realise that they had been misled.

65 per cent said they have observed misinformation being spread online by people they know.

81 per cent believe that AI-generated content, which includes the use of deepfakes, makes it harder to distinguish between ‘real’ and ‘fake’ news.

46 per cent of adults said television is where they get their news, just

87 per cent said social media platforms should do more to prevent the spread of misinformation, ahead of social media at 45 per cent, with radio at 35 per cent.

79 per cent said Irish media is a top source for their news media, while 38 per cent cited UK media and 34 per cent. Cited US media.

37 per cent of people in the survey said they don’t trust mainstream online news sources to provide accurate information.