Disinformation is one of the most urgent threats facing contemporary societies around the world (Tandoc, Wei Lim, & Ling, 2017). This paper analyzes the audiences of two Mediterranean countries, Portugal and Spain, using data from national representative samples obtained from the 2022 Digital News Report (Reuters Institute). We analyze the association between interest in news and the degree of concern about fake news; between interest in news and the use of social networks for informational purposes (Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook and TikTok); and between the use of these networks and the probability of finding false news.
Results show some common patterns but diverging paths, too. Among the first, the figures of people interested in news and that use social media for informational purposes are similar, those who are interested in the news are more concerned about its veracity, while it is more likely that those who are not interested in them do not use social networks for informational purposes and have not found false news. Regarding differences between the two countries, Portuguese citizens show a greater trust on news in general and news they consume than Spanish ones, s trust in a greater extent on news, while Spain stands out for is stronger positive correlation between the use of the networks and the probability of finding false news and between interest in the news and the use of the networks. These results are part of a broader reflection on how during the pandemic period citizens trusted more traditional media than social platforms to get information throughout Europe, but with national differences (Adam, S. et al., 2022).
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