More than three-fourths of social media users do not believe most of what they read on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, a new Rasmussen survey finds.
One-third (33%) of U.S. likely voters “rarely or never” use social media like Facebook and Twitter – and, of those who do, 79% say they do not “believe most things” they read on social media, Rasmussen’s survey conducted October 14-15, 2020 reveals.
More than seven times as many voters distrust as trust what they see on social media, as just 11% of likely voters who use social media say they believe most of what they read there. Another 10% aren’t sure how much it they believe.
According to the survey, distrust of social media content is consistent across gender, race and age groups. By political party, however self-identified Democrats are slightly more likely to believe what they read on social media than are Republicans. While 83% of Republicans do not believe most of the posts they read, 9% do not and 8% aren’t sure. Among Democrats, 75% are distrustful and 14% believe what they read. Another 10% say they are “not sure.”
Only 7% of the nation’s likely voters say that social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter have had a “good” impact on politics. In contrast, 61% say the impact on politics has been “bad,” 28% say it has been neither and 3% are not sure.
The percentage of voters saying social media have had a bad impact on U.S. politics has risen from 51% three years ago to 61% today, Rasmussen reports.
While similar percentages of Republicans (60%), Democrats (62%) and “Other” party affiliates (61%) say social media platforms have been a bad influence on politics, Republicans (13%) are far more likely to say social media have had a “good” impact than are Democrats (3%) and those of “Other” parties (6%).
