Delhi: Over 90% ‘Gen Z’ Sees Fake News Spike During Polls, 45% Share Unauthenticated Info, says Survey

New Delhi: A survey among over 1,200 Delhi youth found 90% of respondents witnessing a spike in fake news during elections, believing that it does influence voting patterns. More specifically, most of such fake news targets public figures, politicians and even religion, setting in motion misleading narratives that influence opinions.

The survey ‘Truth be Told’ was conducted via telephone and field visits by The 23 Watts, which terms itself as a “new age communication consulting firm,” according to a press statement. According to it, 66% of this category of youth said they depend on online surfing for news and information, with 80% of them getting caught in the web of deception.

The survey among youth, mainly Gen Z (born between 1997-2012), was done in an effort to “decode the prevalence” of fake news, and misinformation that has been proliferating social media platforms, more so during the ongoing general election campaign.

Among some of the alarming findings on the effect of misinformation, the survey said 80% of the respondents claimed they had altered their opinions based on fake news, with only 29% of individuals saying they authenticate information through fact-checking websites, and 45% admitting to have shared unauthenticated news that was later found to be fake.

“The report examines how the digitally native Gen-Z perceive, consume and navigate the complexities of misinformation,” said the statement, adding that it covered three broad areas: the influence of misinformation, the experience of coming across fake news, and the opinion of the youth about who is responsible for the fake news epidemic.

The survey also sheds light on the social media behaviour, mindsets, and information-sharing patterns, revealing the impact these factors have on their decision-making processes among youth below 25 years of age.

Among the other key findings of the survey, 62% youth said that fake news “not only misleads perceptions but also plays as a tool to mend and damage reputations.”

A vast majority of the respondents, 89%, felt the government needed to do more to prevent fake news, with 69% suggesting stricter policies.

Amid hectic election campaigns by all political parties during elections, nearly 66% of respondents said they depended on social media platforms for news, such as YouTube, etc.

“The core of our effort is to map and mine the minds of the loud and proud Gen Z to understand the lasting shift in news consumption and the spread of misinformation,” Tarundeep Singh, Chief Growth Officer, The 23 Watts, said.

“In an unprecedented year for elections, out of all the risks, fake news is one of the major threats that the youth of Delhi face today. The call for government action is loud, with 48%, demanding tighter policies, 16% appealing for education campaigns to navigate these rough seas and 15% advocating for national fact-checking as a solution” said external expert Vijay Ganesan, Former Director-Analytics & Data Strategy, Europe at Kantar, who was onboarded for the survey.