Signal UK trust in news fell from 51% in 2015 to 33% in 2023

Summary

The report argues that the move from traditional media to digital platforms has helped false information spread, and it presents declining trust in news as part of that background. The share of UK citizens who trust the news fell sharply, from 51% in 2015 to 33% in 2023. The report explains that younger audiences increasingly get news online and through social media, where editorial standards are weaker and algorithms put engagement ahead of accuracy. In this environment, content with many likes and shares is shown more widely than the most accurate content. Alongside falling trust, the report observes growing public mistrust of technology, vaccines and institutions, and it sees stronger resilience of authoritative information sources as one benefit of taking action.