The majority of people have recognized that disinformation poses a threat to democracy.

German Public Concerned About Disinformation and its Impact on Political Opinions and Elections

The German population is growing increasingly concerned about the deliberate dissemination of disinformation over the internet. This has raised fears that political opinions and elections are being influenced in an unethical manner. In response, the political class, civil society, and the media must work together to confront this growing challenge.

According to the latest study “Disconcerted Public” by the Bertelsmann Stiftung, 84% of Germans view disinformation as a major problem for society. This dangerous trend has the potential to undermine confidence in politics, political parties, and the media. As the country heads into a major election year, this issue must be addressed to protect the integrity of our democratic system.

The survey, conducted by pollytix strategic research gmbh, also revealed that more than 90% of respondents believed that disinformation was being used to influence political opinion. This manipulation was most commonly seen in connection with contentious issues such as immigration, health, war, and the global warming crisis.

Comparing Germany to the United States, the data showed that the US has a higher level of awareness and insecurity regarding disinformation. “Respondents in the US more frequently hold politicians and political parties responsible for disinformation and view the opposite political camp as the source. This reveals the polarization in the US, which is cropping up increasingly during the election campaign,” explains Kai Unzicker, an expert on social cohesion at the Bertelsmann Stiftung.

To combat this issue, experts at the Bertelsmann Stiftung have called for stricter guidelines for social networks. They suggest that these platforms should be required to embed fact-checking and confidence assessments to prevent the spread of disinformation. Additionally, users should have easier access to tools for checking and reporting information. Independent monitoring of digital content by multiple non-state actors is also crucial in addressing this issue, according to Cathleen Berger, an IT expert at the Bertelsmann Stiftung.

The “Disconcerted Public” study is part of the Upgrade Democracy project at the Bertelsmann Stiftung, which aims to promote democratic participation and combat threats to democracy. For this survey, 5,055 people in Germany and 2,018 in the United States were polled between 4 and 17 October 2023.

The Bertelsmann Stiftung is a non-profit organization committed to promoting social participation in all aspects of society. Their work focuses on education, democracy, digitalization, Europe’s future, health, and the sustainable social market economy. “We place people at the focus, as it is people who are able to move, change and improve the world,” says the foundation’s website.

For more information on the study and the work of the Bertelsmann Stiftung, visit www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de.