Trust in Media

U.S. adults’ views of what makes a news story trustworthy vary by party affiliation, demographic characteristics and news consumption habits.

59% of Americans say made-up information that is intended to mislead causes a “great deal” of confusion about the 2020 presidential election.

About eight-in-ten Americans (79%) say news organizations tend to favor one side when presenting the news on political and social issues.

Biden supporters are more likely than Trump supporters to be confident their news sources will make the right call in announcing a winner. And partisans remain worlds apart on how well the U.S. has controlled the coronavirus outbreak.

A majority (82%) say there are times when it is acceptable for journalists to use anonymous sources, with 67% saying it is acceptable only in special cases.

72% of U.S. adults say news organizations do an insufficient job telling their audiences where their money comes from.

Republicans are far more likely than Democrats to say major tech companies favor the views of liberals over conservatives. At the same time, partisans differ on whether social media companies should flag inaccurate information on their platforms.

Most Americans (71%) have heard of a conspiracy theory that alleges that powerful people intentionally planned the coronavirus outbreak.

After three months of news and information, 64% of U.S. adults say the CDC mostly gets the facts about the outbreak right; 30% say the same about President Trump and his administration.

59% of Americans think news organizations do not understand people like them, while a minority – 37% – say they do feel understood.