YouGov: 2/5 of British social network users have seen inaccurate content

YouGov surveyed UK social media users over a 30-day period to find out how they use their favourite platforms. More than two in five general users (41%) have seen inaccurate content in the past month, with nearly one in five mainstream users (17%) saying they have seen outright false content.

Additionally, 21% of users said they had encountered misleading content, 20% had seen false information, and 19% had seen manipulated or distorted content.

Only 25% of regular users said their family profiles were "very honest," with friends, coworkers, celebrities and influencers performing even worse. Almost half of users (48%) thought celebrities' profiles were "not at all" or "somewhat" honest, with only 22% of respondents believing their profiles were authentic.

Regular users are skeptical of “super influencer” Kim Kardashian, with 68% of respondents believing her posts are not representative of real life. Despite this, she remains the most popular influencer on social media. Most users wish their celebrities and influencers could be more authentic, with 64% of respondents agreeing that it’s refreshing when influencers are honest about their posts.

Dishonesty by opinion leaders was considered more important than dishonesty by family members (54%).

Overall, 28% of users have noticed this type of influencer/celebrity marketing in the past month, but almost half of respondents (49%) agree that these posts are not representative of the people who posted them.

Significantly, this distrust is consistent with people’s views on TV advertising, with almost half of respondents (46%) not trusting it.

199IT.com Originally compiled from: YouGov. Please do not reprint without authorization