A 2023 survey revealed that almost two thirds of U.S. adults living in rural areas said they saw information they believed to be false or misleading on a daily basis. This is in contrast to 45 percent living in urban areas. As news outlets disappear from rural parts of the U.S., the risk of encountering false information can be higher as fewer official and legitimate sources equals less trustworthy reporting and greater circulation of hearsay or misreported content.
Frequency of seeing false or misleading information online among adults in the United States as of April 2023, by local area
Characteristic
Urban
Suburban
Rural
Daily
45%
55%
59%
Weekly
20%
20%
16%
Monthly
11%
4%
7%
Less often than monthly
13%
6%
6%
Never
3%
1%
2%
Not sure
8%
13%
10%
Created with Highcharts 7.2.2Share of respondents45%45%20%20%11%11%13%13%3%3%8%8%55%55%20%20%4%4%6%6%1%1%13%13%59%59%16%16%7%7%6%6%2%2%10%10%UrbanSuburbanRuralDailyWeeklyMonthlyLess often than monthlyNeverNot sure
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%
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YouGov. (May 8, 2023). Frequency of seeing false or misleading information online among adults in the United States as of April 2023, by local area [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved February 19, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1462059/false-news-consumption-frequency-us-by-area/
YouGov. "Frequency of seeing false or misleading information online among adults in the United States as of April 2023, by local area." Chart. May 8, 2023. Statista. Accessed February 19, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1462059/false-news-consumption-frequency-us-by-area/
YouGov. (2023). Frequency of seeing false or misleading information online among adults in the United States as of April 2023, by local area. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: February 19, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1462059/false-news-consumption-frequency-us-by-area/
YouGov. "Frequency of Seeing False or Misleading Information Online among Adults in The United States as of April 2023, by Local Area." Statista, Statista Inc., 8 May 2023, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1462059/false-news-consumption-frequency-us-by-area/
YouGov, Frequency of seeing false or misleading information online among adults in the United States as of April 2023, by local area Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1462059/false-news-consumption-frequency-us-by-area/ (last visited February 19, 2025)
Frequency of seeing false or misleading information online among adults in the United States as of April 2023, by local area [Graph], YouGov, May 8, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1462059/false-news-consumption-frequency-us-by-area/
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