A Pew Research Center survey on October 1 showed that many people think social media harms democracy by spreading rumors. While some feel it gives people a voice, skepticism grew in 16 of 26 countries. In the US, 64% of adults said social media now harms democracy, reflecting rising global concerns.
Oct 1 (Reuters) - A growing number of people think social media manipulates and divides people and harms democracy, Pew Research Center said on Thursday, echoing rising concern and tighter scrutiny across the world.
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Australia has proposed rules to let users opt out of algorithmically recommended feeds, after becoming the first country to ban social media for children under 16. Pew’s latest survey showed that 82% of Australian adults support the government's move to restrict social media access for children.
A majority of respondents said social media informs people and gives them a voice in politics, but there was a broad rise in those who now see social media as a "bad thing" compared to 2022, according to the report.
People in wealthier countries, including the US, Canada and UK, are more inclined to believe that social media is harming democracy, versus their counterparts in economies with lower gross domestic product per capita — such as Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria.
The US is among the most skeptical, with 64% of adult respondents saying social media harms democracy. The share of people who consider social media bad for democracy increased in 16 of 26 countries where older data was available.
Pew Research said it surveyed more than 45,000 people in 37 countries, while polling an additional 5,511 US adults on American social media use.