The spread of misinformation: A multivariate analysis of the relationship between individual characteristics and fact-checking behaviours of Canadians

Abstract

• In 2023, over two in five Canadians (43%) thought it was becoming harder to distinguish between true and false news or information, compared with three years prior. This follows the finding that, in 2022, almost three-quarters of Canadians (73%) reported having seen content online that they suspected to be false or inaccurate in the past 12 months.
• In this paper, multivariate analyses were conducted to examine the role of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics in the likelihood of fact-checking news or information and sharing unverified online information, behaviours thought to be associated with the spread of misinformation.
• Age and education level emerge as factors that are likely to be important in the spread of misinformation. Increasing age was associated with a lower probability of fact-checking information. It was also associated with a lower probability of sharing unverified online information. Conversely, higher education was associated with a higher likelihood of engaging in both behaviours.
• The results of this paper demonstrate the complexity surrounding the decisions to fact-check information. Because the surveys used in this analysis did not directly assess the ability of respondents to identify misinformation, further research is required to determine how fact-checking behaviours relate to the spread of misinformation.

To read the full paper, see: The spread of misinformation: A multivariate analysis of the relationship between individual characteristics and fact-checking behaviours of Canadians (statcan.gc.ca)