News heard via the radio is the most trusted source of news in Europe. In a 2018 survey across 28 European countries, it was revealed that 70 percent of respondents trusted news accessed through the radio. Television was trusted by two-thirds of respondents. Online social networks, video hosting sites, and podcasts were considered the most untrustworthy sources for news and information.
The level of trust in news coming from online social networks and messaging apps varied from country to country in the EU, according to a survey conducted in 2018. In Portugal, a combined 41 percent of respondents said they trusted social media as a news source. This was closely followed by Croatia, at 40 percent. At 17 percent, Austria and Germany had both the lowest level of trust in news from social media.
In 2019, a survey conducted by Ipsos looked at opinions in Europe on temporary social media bans to prevent fake news in times of crisis. This survey revealed that 84 percent of respondents in Russia trusted social media companies to ensure the factuality of shared content in times of crisis, compared to 28 percent of individuals in Great Britain.
Share of trust in news sources in the European Union as of February 2018, by type of media
Characteristic
Totally trust
Tend to trust
Don't know
Tend not to trust
Do not trust at all
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European Commission. (April 23, 2018). Share of trust in news sources in the European Union as of February 2018, by type of media [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved September 01, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1087496/trust-in-news-sources-europe/
European Commission. "Share of trust in news sources in the European Union as of February 2018, by type of media." Chart. April 23, 2018. Statista. Accessed September 01, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1087496/trust-in-news-sources-europe/
European Commission. (2018). Share of trust in news sources in the European Union as of February 2018, by type of media. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: September 01, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1087496/trust-in-news-sources-europe/
European Commission. "Share of Trust in News Sources in The European Union as of February 2018, by Type of Media." Statista, Statista Inc., 23 Apr 2018, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1087496/trust-in-news-sources-europe/
European Commission, Share of trust in news sources in the European Union as of February 2018, by type of media Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1087496/trust-in-news-sources-europe/ (last visited September 01, 2024)
Share of trust in news sources in the European Union as of February 2018, by type of media [Graph], European Commission, April 23, 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1087496/trust-in-news-sources-europe/