(AP Photo, File)64 percent of Americans surveyed say social media is bad for democracy America is the outlier; majorities in most nations view social media positively In U.S., social media is infamous for spreading political misinformation(NewsNation) — American exceptionalism strikes again. Only the Dutch (54%) and the French (51%) agree with the majority of Americans that social media doesn’t encourage democracy, but a far greater percentage of Americans — 64% — feel the same. The role of social media in spreading misinformation has been widely discussed ahead of key U.S. elections. And though majorities in both parties say social media has been a bad thing for democracy in the U.S., Republicans and Republican-leaning independents are more likely to say this than Democrats and Democratic leaners (74% vs. 57%). In one way, Americans resemble their foreign peers: Those who use social media are significantly more likely than non-users to say that social media has benefited democracy in their country.

Source: The Nation February 29, 2024 11:04 UTC