GoKawiilPew Research: More People Worldwide Say Social Media Hurts Democracy
A Pew Research Center survey of over 42,000 people across 36 countries, plus a separate U.S. sample, found a growing share of respondents believe social media has had a negative effect on democracy in their country. The surveys were conducted between January and June 2026 and also tracked which social media platforms people use in each nation.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The findings suggest a broad, cross-national shift in public sentiment about digital platforms' role in political life, which could inform regulatory debates and platform policy discussions worldwide. Because the data spans dozens of countries with different political systems, the trend may reflect a global erosion of trust in information ecosystems rather than a reaction to any single national event.
- Pew surveyed over 42,000 adults across 36 countries plus the U.S. between Feb. and June 2026.
- A rising share of respondents globally view social media as damaging to democracy.
- The research also maps platform usage patterns by country alongside these democracy perceptions.
Source: pewresearch.org — Richard Wike, 2026-10-07
Published there as: “Across the Globe, People Increasingly Say Social Media Is Harming Democracy”
Read the original report → The summary and analysis above are GoKawiil's own, written from reporting by the source above. Facts and quotes belong to the original publisher.