Did adults surveyed in Andalusia believe information was being withheld from them?

Details

The researchers describe how the rapid spread of social media on the Internet has strongly changed the information and communication landscape. They say its inadequate use has prompted discussions about truth and post-truth, what is trustworthy or questionable, and the credibility of messages and their sources.

The study set out to examine what citizens believe about the information they receive and whether they feel information is being withheld. It used a survey of a statistically representative sample of the Andalusian population over age 18: 1,103 respondents, with a maximum margin of error of ±3%.

The researchers reported a serious lack of credibility in the information received: 68.1% believed information was being withheld from them. They also observed several factors associated with a greater likelihood of strong belief in a conspiracy theory about information being withheld, though the abstract does not identify those factors.

The article reflects on the consequences of mistrust in information and proposes an inter- and transdisciplinary approach to counter it.