Roughly three-in-ten who say social media have a negative effect on the country cite misinformation as reason 64% of U.S. adults say social media have a mostly negative effect ton the way things ware going in this country today When asked about the main reason they think social media have a mostly negative today, effect on the way things are going in this country today, % who mention Parisanship/odarization) Echo chambers/ "people getting one point of view anti-conservative views Vanitydrama/impacts on
When asked to elaborate on the main reason why they think social media have a mostly negative effect on the way things are going in this country today, roughly three-in-ten (28%) respondents who hold that view mention the spreading of misinformation and made-up news. Smaller shares reference examples of hate, harassment, conflict and extremism (16%) as a main reason, and 11% mention a perceived lack of critical thinking skills among many users – voicing concern about people who use these sites believing everything they see or read or being unsure about what to believe.
Roughly three-in-ten who say social  | media have a negative effect on the  | country cite misinformation as reason  | 64% of U.S. adults say social media have a mostly  | negative effect ton the way things ware going in this  | country today  | 64  | When asked about the main reason they think social  | media have a mostly negative today, effect on the way things  | are going in this country today, % who mention  | Misinformation/  | 28  | made-up news  | Hate/harassment)  | 16  | extremism  | People believing everything  | 11  | not knowing believing what everything to believe  | Censorship/ bias  | Too much negativity  | Parisanship/odarization)  | division  | Echo chambers/ "people  | getting one point of view  | Anti-Trump or  | anti-conservative views  | Sensationalism  | exexa aggeration/clickbait  | Vanitydrama/impacts on  | mental health  | Privacy or data collection  | Privacy concerns/ bad actors  | Other  | 9  | Note: Those who did not give an answer are not shown. Verbatim  | responses have been coded into categories Figures may add up to  | more than 100% beca uuee multiple responses were allowed.  | Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted July 13 19, 2020.  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 