Lee Rainie, director of internet and technology research, presented a synthesis of the Pew Research Center’s growing explorations of issues related to trust, facts and democracy at a forum hosted by the International Institute of Communications on December 5, 2018. His presentation covered Center findings related to declining trust in institutions, increasing challenges tied to misinformation and the ways in which concerns about trust and truth are linked to public attitudes about democracy.

1. Trust, Facts, Democracy
Lee Rainie
Director, Internet and Technology Research

2. Trust

3. Trust in the federal government stuck at historic low
Source: Pew Research Center “Government Gets Lower Ratings for Handling Health Care, Environment, Disaster Response” Dec. 14, 2017. From 1976-2017, the trend line represents a three-survey moving average.
How much of the time do you think you can trust the government in Washington to do what is right?
Just about always/
Most of the time19%
67% Only some of the time
13% Never (Volunteered)

4. Consistent Liberals & Conservatives Often Live in Different Media Worlds
http://www.journalism.org/2014/10/21/political-polarization-media-habits/

5. Little Overlap in the Sources Trusted for Political News
http://www.journalism.org/2014/10/21/political-polarization-media-habits/

6. Many users see social media as an especially negative venue
for political discussions compared with face-to-face
% of social media users who say their political discussions are more or less __
compared with other places people might discuss politics
http://www.pewinternet.org/2016/10/25/the-political-environment-on-social-media/

7. 41% have personally experience online harassment
(66% have witnessed it)

8. Facts

9. Most say Clinton, Trump supporters cannot agree even on ‘basic
facts’
On important issues facing the country, most Trump and
Clinton supporters … (%)
http://www.people-press.org/2016/10/14/in-presidential-contest-voters-say-basic-facts-not-just-policies-are-in-dispute/

10. Fake news is seen as a problem – 1
Majority says fake news leaves Americans confused about basic facts
http://www.journalism.org/2016/12/15/many-americans-believe-fake-news-is-sowing-confusion/

11. Fake news is seen as a problem – 2
23% report sharing fabricated news
http://www.journalism.org/2016/12/15/many-americans-believe-fake-news-is-sowing-confusion/

12. 26% of Americans have had false information posted about them
% of U.S. adults who have had untrue information about them posted online
http://www.pewinternet.org/2017/07/11/online-harassment-2017/

14. 14
Younger Americans are better able to distinguish between facts
and opinions
% of U.S. adults in each age group who correctly classified ____ factual statements as factual

15. Democracy

16. Declining share of Americans holds a mix of liberal and
conservative views
Distribution of the public on a 10-item scale of political values
Source: Pew Research Center “The Partisan Divide on Political Values Grows Even Wider” Oct. 5, 2017.

17. Country viewed as falling short on a range of widely supported
democratic values
% who say each is very important for the U.S. and describes the country very/somewhat
well …
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted Jan. 29-Feb. 13, 2018.

18. Negative stereotypes about the ‘other side’
http://www.people-press.org/2016/06/22/partisanship-and-political-animosity-in-2016/

19. Party now far exceeds other social divisions
Average divide across 10 political values, by key demographics
Source: Pew Research Center “The Partisan Divide on Political Values Grows Even Wider” Oct. 5, 2017.

20. Most have little or no confidence in political wisdom of the
American people
% saying they have ___ of trust and confidence in the wisdom of American people in making
political decisions
Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted March 7-14, 2018.

21. 21

22. The reckoning for tech companies

23. Americans view tech and energy companies similarly when it
comes to having too much power and influence
http://www.pewinternet.org/2018/06/28/public-attitudes-toward-technology-companies/
% of U.S. adults who say the following entities have _____ power and influence in today’s economy

24. Few trust social media sites to protect personal data

25. Widespread view that these platforms censor political speech,
especially among Republicans

26. http://www.journalism.org/2018/04/19/americans-favor-protecting-information-freedoms-over-government-steps-to-restrict-false-news-online/
The bottom line: 2

27. Thank you!
Email: lrainie@pewresearch.org
Twitter: @lrainie
@pewinternet
@pewresearch