Brazil research reveals high frequency of fake news exposure

A study by Instituto Ideia, commissioned by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, the Center for Public Leadership, and Oficina Consultoria, shows that 63.4% of Brazilians frequently encounter fake news online. The survey, which interviewed 1,508 people, found that 53.5% of respondents have previously believed false information.

Disinformation is most commonly encountered through gossip pages (31%), digital influencer profiles (30%), and anonymous accounts (28.5%). While 39.5% of Brazilians use social media for information, only 13.6% consider these platforms reliable. Instagram is the most used platform for news at 59.9%, followed by YouTube (43.3%) and Facebook (31.8%).

Key topics for disinformation include politics and elections (22%), followed by health, public security, and crime. Additionally, 54.7% of participants believe that artificial intelligence contributes more to the spread of fake news than to its combat. Regarding solutions, 20.5% support stricter laws to punish creators of disinformation, while 13.8% advocate for digital education and platform regulation.