OPINION (Axios) – Americans view made-up news and information as a bigger problem than other critical issues, including terrorism, immigration, climate change and racism, according to a new survey from Pew Research Center. Why it matters: The survey finds that Americans feel more worried today about fake news because it’s undermining their trust in key institutions,

like the government and the media. The only issues that rank higher than made-up news and information as “very big problems in the country today” are drug addiction, the affordability of health care, the U.S. political system, and the income gap. By the numbers: An overwhelming majority of Americans (68%) believe made-up news and information has a big impact on their trust in government, according to the survey.

  • More than half (54%) of Americans say it impacts their confidence in other Americans.
  • More than half (51%) say it impacts the ability of political leaders to get work done.

Between the lines: While most Americans blame political leaders and activist groups for creating misinformation over journalists, most say “the news media” is the most responsible for fixing the problem. FULL REPORT


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