A survey from 2020 found that nearly half of journalists worldwide believed regular citizens to be the main source of disinformation. The international survey asked journalists to cite the top source of disinformation, with 46 percent of journalists stating politicians and elected officials.
Main sources of disinformation cited by journalists worldwide as of June 2020
Characteristic
Share of respondents
Regular citizens
49%
Political leaders and elected officials
46%
Attention-seeking trolls
43%
Profiteers (e.g. people selling fake cures)
38%
Propagandistic or heavily partisan news media, or state media
34%
Identifable government agencies or their spokespeople
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ICFJ. (October 13, 2020). Main sources of disinformation cited by journalists worldwide as of June 2020 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 22, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1249671/journalists-cite-sources-disinformation-worldwide/
ICFJ. "Main sources of disinformation cited by journalists worldwide as of June 2020." Chart. October 13, 2020. Statista. Accessed December 22, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1249671/journalists-cite-sources-disinformation-worldwide/
ICFJ. (2020). Main sources of disinformation cited by journalists worldwide as of June 2020. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 22, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1249671/journalists-cite-sources-disinformation-worldwide/
ICFJ. "Main Sources of Disinformation Cited by Journalists Worldwide as of June 2020." Statista, Statista Inc., 13 Oct 2020, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1249671/journalists-cite-sources-disinformation-worldwide/
ICFJ, Main sources of disinformation cited by journalists worldwide as of June 2020 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1249671/journalists-cite-sources-disinformation-worldwide/ (last visited December 22, 2024)
Main sources of disinformation cited by journalists worldwide as of June 2020 [Graph], ICFJ, October 13, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1249671/journalists-cite-sources-disinformation-worldwide/
