University of Kwazulu-Natal

New Ipr Survey Reveals Increasing Concerns About Disinformation As 43

Bonisiwe Shabane
-
new ipr survey reveals increasing concerns about disinformation as 43

Disinformation Crisis Grips America, Paralleling Major Societal Issues: New Report Reveals Disturbing Trends Washington, D.C. – A groundbreaking new study reveals the alarming pervasiveness of disinformation in American society, with a staggering 70% of respondents ranking it as a major problem on par with critical issues such as illegal... The 5th edition of the Disinformation in Society Report, a collaborative effort between the Institute for Public Relations (IPR) and market research firm Leger, surveyed 2,000 U.S. adults to gauge public perception of false and misleading information, identify responsible parties, and explore potential solutions. The findings paint a stark picture of a nation grappling with an information crisis, highlighting a concerning trend of eroding trust in traditional institutions and a growing reliance on personalized information bubbles.

The report underscores a paradox in information consumption: While Americans express deep concerns about disinformation, they simultaneously exhibit a strong preference for news that aligns with their pre-existing beliefs. A significant 59% of respondents admitted to favoring information that confirms their perspectives, a phenomenon that contributes to the perpetuation of echo chambers and hinders productive discourse. This tendency raises critical questions about the efficacy of fact-checking and media literacy initiatives, as individuals may be predisposed to dismiss information that challenges their worldview. Compounding the issue is the identification of major societal institutions as key culprits in the spread of disinformation. Facebook topped the list, with 74% of respondents holding the social media giant accountable. Following closely behind were the U.S.

federal government (72%) and political activist groups (71%). This erosion of trust in established sources has profound implications for democratic processes and public discourse, creating an environment where manipulation and misinformation can thrive. Interestingly, the report reveals that Americans place the highest level of trust in sources within their immediate social circles. Family members (82%), individuals perceived as similar to themselves (79%), and friends (75%) emerged as the most trusted sources of information. This finding highlights the growing influence of personal networks in shaping individual perceptions and underscores the need for media literacy efforts that empower individuals to critically evaluate information shared within these trusted circles. The Institute for Public Relations and market research and analytics company Leger collaborate on a survey in which almost three quarters (70 percent) of respondents say disinformation is a major problem on a par...

The 5th edition of the Disinformation in Society Report surveyed 2,000 US adults to assess how Americans perceive false or misleading information, who they hold responsible for spreading it, and what actions they believe... The most trusted sources of information, it turns out, are close to home, with personal networks such as family (82 percent), “people like me” (79 percent), and friends (75 percent) scoring the highest for... The organizations they say are most to blame for spreading disinformation? Facebook (74 percent), the US federal government (72 percent), and political activist groups (71 percent). A majority of respondents (59 percent) add that they are more likely to consume news that aligns with their personal beliefs. “Political affiliation is a determining factor for what sources people trust and consume, and Americans are looking for stronger accountability across social media platforms, companies, government, and other institutions,” said IPR president and CEO...

Tina McCorkindale. Jason Smith, VP of marketing communications at The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International, has passed away. Smith joined HSMAI in 2001. He has overseen the organization’s digital presence, public relations and social media strategy. Before coming to HSMAI, he was a writer and editor at Gannett and managing editor at Enterprise Communications. Smith’s family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to World Central Kitchen in his honor.

NexusOne Consulting, a government relations firm working with clients in sectors including AI, cryptocurrency, and social media, launches in DC, “across from the White House.” The firm’s founder is lawyer Jeff Ifrah, who is... Ifrah is joined by Jim Trusty, who has represented the Trump Administration in policy matters, and Ross Branson, who served as a senior legislative affairs official at the Commerce Department during the first Trump... Its advisory board includes William Bennett, who was Secretary of Education under president Reagan; former Oklahoma governor Mary Fallin; and Copenhaver Capital founder Andrew Graves. “We created NexusOne to ensure that companies at the frontier of innovation have a trusted, connected voice in Washington,” said Ifrah. The Communications Group, a Little Rock-based shop releases its first Public Affairs Marketing Trends Report... The Worldcom Public Relations Group votes Paris-based firm SEITOSEI•ACTIFIN into its global partnership...

PRNEWS, a European PR-tech firm, relocates its U.S. headquarters to downtown Miami. af&co., a San Francisco-based hospitality marketing and PR agency founded by Andrew Freeman, is marking its 20th anniversary... Notified launches Syndicated Articles... Crosby Marketing Communications selects four students from Anne Arundel Community College for its marketing scholars program. New Research Reveals Increasing Concerns About Disinformation as 43% of Americans Are Actively Avoiding the News

A new study by the Institute for Public Relations (IPR) and Leger finds that concerns about disinformation in the United States have returned to their highest levels since 2021, with 70% of Americans identifying... The 5th edition of the Disinformation in Society Report surveyed 2,000 U.S. adults to assess how Americans perceive false or misleading information, who they hold responsible for spreading it, and what actions they believe are necessary to combat it. “Political affiliation is a determining factor for what sources people trust and consume, and Americans are looking for stronger accountability across social media platforms, companies, government, and other institutions,” said Dr. Tina McCorkindale, President and CEO of IPR. This nationally representative study was conducted online by Leger from March 4 to March 15, 2025, and is the fifth installment in the Disinformation in Society research series.

The survey results are weighted by age, gender, region, and ethnicity based on U.S. Census data. 🔍 How concerned are Americans about disinformation? Hear from David Scholz, APR, CAIP, Chief Strategy Officer at Leger, as he unpacks key insights from the new Disinformation in Society Report. Here’s what the research shows: ✔️ Concerns about disinformation have returned to their highest levels since 2021 ✔️ Disinformation is now seen as a top societal issue — on par with federal spending, healthcare... 👉 Read the full report: bit.ly/Disinfo-Report-5

This is very insightful and helpful to further understand the content of the full report! Our new #article w Kiffer G. Card et al: Public Health Guidelines for Social Connection: An International Delphi Study TL;DR: make connection a lifelong priority, build diverse networks, prioritize meaningful interactions, use technology wisely https://lnkd.in/ezDwG-d6 These past two days I've been in a Valuing Life Summit (effectively conversations about improving medicines access). We discussed issues like the health/medicines budget, the perceived failure of Pharmac and the HTA process, and the threat of Trump's tariffs and MFN status in the context of New Zealand. Uniquely Pharmac has a fixed budget, and as a decision maker and funder they don't have a cost effectiveness threshold.

A significant HTA reform is much overdue in NZ, if coupled with a budget increase (about 4.9% of the health budget is spent on pharmaceuticals) and a decoupling from the fixed budget (as was... Most HTA methods reviews globally have deemed the cost effectiveness threshold and/or the medicines budget as off limits. Health economists are uniquely placed to provide rigor to both methods and decision rules. A case of lambda to the slaughter OR Liberty for wolves is death to the lambda? Senior Principal Economist at Office of Health Economics April marks Disinformation Awareness Month, a global initiative led by the Institute for Public Relations (IPR) to spotlight the mounting risks of false and misleading information in our hyper-connected world.

As communicators face the twin pressures of media disruption and information warfare, IPR’s latest study—“Navigating a Changing Media Landscape”—arrives as essential reading for global PR professionals. The research, based on interviews with 44 senior communications leaders across sectors, offers a nuanced view of how Chief Communications Officers (CCOs) and media relations professionals are adapting to an increasingly volatile media environment—not... The contraction of the journalism industry is not confined to North America. Across the globe, local and regional news outlets are being shuttered at an alarming rate. In the UK, the Press Gazette has reported the closure of nearly 300 local publications over the past two decades. In Africa and parts of Asia, news organisations face severe funding shortages and political pressures.

In the Gulf and South Asia, state-linked or politically influenced media dominate, further distorting the information landscape. IPR’s report underscores that fewer journalists are covering broader beats with less depth, time, and industry knowledge—forcing communicators to step in as both educators and content providers. “We’re often dealing with someone covering a catch-all beat… It puts the onus on us to educate reporters,” said one insurance comms director. The American public has grown increasingly concerned about disinformation and the role it plays in political polarization as well as the threats it poses to our elections and democracy, according to a report from... The IPR report, which asked Americans about their perceptions of disinformation’s impact on society, found that nearly two-thirds (61 percent) of respondents now consider misinformation and disinformation as a major issue and a more... Four in 10 respondents (40 percent) said they see disinformation almost every day, while a third (33 percent) said they encounter it at least once a week.

Americans still don’t consider disinformation our single biggest threat—at least not yet. The issues currently considered to be the top problems facing Americans today are inflation (73 percent), healthcare costs (72 percent), crime (71 percent) and gun violence (68 percent). Three-quarters (75 percent) of Americans believe that disinformation undermines our election process, and a similar number (74 percent) consider it a threat to our democracy. Others think disinformation will increase the polarization of political parties (73 percent) and that it also infringes on human rights (61 percent).

People Also Search

Disinformation Crisis Grips America, Paralleling Major Societal Issues: New Report

Disinformation Crisis Grips America, Paralleling Major Societal Issues: New Report Reveals Disturbing Trends Washington, D.C. – A groundbreaking new study reveals the alarming pervasiveness of disinformation in American society, with a staggering 70% of respondents ranking it as a major problem on par with critical issues such as illegal... The 5th edition of the Disinformation in Society Report, ...

The Report Underscores A Paradox In Information Consumption: While Americans

The report underscores a paradox in information consumption: While Americans express deep concerns about disinformation, they simultaneously exhibit a strong preference for news that aligns with their pre-existing beliefs. A significant 59% of respondents admitted to favoring information that confirms their perspectives, a phenomenon that contributes to the perpetuation of echo chambers and hinder...

Federal Government (72%) And Political Activist Groups (71%). This Erosion

federal government (72%) and political activist groups (71%). This erosion of trust in established sources has profound implications for democratic processes and public discourse, creating an environment where manipulation and misinformation can thrive. Interestingly, the report reveals that Americans place the highest level of trust in sources within their immediate social circles. Family members...

The 5th Edition Of The Disinformation In Society Report Surveyed

The 5th edition of the Disinformation in Society Report surveyed 2,000 US adults to assess how Americans perceive false or misleading information, who they hold responsible for spreading it, and what actions they believe... The most trusted sources of information, it turns out, are close to home, with personal networks such as family (82 percent), “people like me” (79 percent), and friends (75 per...

Tina McCorkindale. Jason Smith, VP Of Marketing Communications At The

Tina McCorkindale. Jason Smith, VP of marketing communications at The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International, has passed away. Smith joined HSMAI in 2001. He has overseen the organization’s digital presence, public relations and social media strategy. Before coming to HSMAI, he was a writer and editor at Gannett and managing editor at Enterprise Communications. Smith’s family requ...