UNESCO Report: Most Social Media Influencers Share Information Without Verifying Its Accuracy

The report, based on a survey of 500 influencers with at least 1,000 followers from 45 countries, revealed that 62% of them share unverified information.

Additionally, 33.5% of influencers share content without considering the reliability of the source, while 41.7% measure reliability based on the source's popularity. The report also noted that 20.6% of influencers determine credibility by whether a trusted expert or friend shares the information, and 19.4% rely on the reputation of the person or author publishing it. Only 17% of influencers verify information by checking evidence and documents.

The report further highlighted that 58.1% of influencers base their content on personal experiences, while 38.7% use research or interviews with experts as sources. The report stressed that as audiences increasingly turn to digital content creators for information, the need for influencers to prioritize accuracy is becoming more critical. Misinformation and disinformation can quickly erode trust, leading to skepticism and disengagement from followers.