A survey conducted in January 2022, found that 51 percent of female U.S. internet users thought it was illegal to impersonate another person on social media whilst 45 percent of male respondents thought the same. Overall, 12 percent of women and 19 percent of men thought it was legal to create a fake persona on social media.
Share of adults in the United States who think it is illegal to create a fake persona or impersonate another person on social media as of January 2022, by gender
Original question: "To the best of your knowledge, is it legal or illegal to create a fake persona or impersonate another person on social media?" The source defines catfishing as a situation "where users are tricked by fake accounts into online relationships and sometimes scammed out of money". Figures may not add up to 100% due to rounding.
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Morning Consult. (January 27, 2022). Share of adults in the United States who think it is illegal to create a fake persona or impersonate another person on social media as of January 2022, by gender [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved January 09, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1294963/us-adults-on-legality-of-fake-online-persona-gender/
Morning Consult. "Share of adults in the United States who think it is illegal to create a fake persona or impersonate another person on social media as of January 2022, by gender." Chart. January 27, 2022. Statista. Accessed January 09, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1294963/us-adults-on-legality-of-fake-online-persona-gender/
Morning Consult. (2022). Share of adults in the United States who think it is illegal to create a fake persona or impersonate another person on social media as of January 2022, by gender. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: January 09, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1294963/us-adults-on-legality-of-fake-online-persona-gender/
Morning Consult. "Share of Adults in The United States Who Think It Is Illegal to Create a Fake Persona or Impersonate Another Person on Social Media as of January 2022, by Gender." Statista, Statista Inc., 27 Jan 2022, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1294963/us-adults-on-legality-of-fake-online-persona-gender/
Morning Consult, Share of adults in the United States who think it is illegal to create a fake persona or impersonate another person on social media as of January 2022, by gender Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1294963/us-adults-on-legality-of-fake-online-persona-gender/ (last visited January 09, 2025)
Share of adults in the United States who think it is illegal to create a fake persona or impersonate another person on social media as of January 2022, by gender [Graph], Morning Consult, January 27, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1294963/us-adults-on-legality-of-fake-online-persona-gender/