This archive report was first published on 19 June 2020.
Published on June 19, 2020, the Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2020 highlights rising concerns about misinformation online and on social media.
According to the survey, most people in 40 countries, including Kenya and South Africa, blame local politicians for spreading false information, rather than activists, journalists, or foreign governments.
The survey, conducted in January and early February before the Covid-19 outbreak, also draws from studies updated in April, at the height of the lockdown in many countries.
It notes that global trends towards digital, mobile, and paid media continue to grow, accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic.
Mr Richard Fletcher, a senior research fellow at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, notes that the public is more cautious when it comes to political advertising through social media.
He says that in most countries, most people want technology companies to block advertisements by political parties, which might be inaccurate.
Kenyan news audiences remain some of the most trusting, with 50 per cent of respondents saying they trust most news, most of the time.
The report also highlights the impact of Covid-19 on the print media and advertising, indicating that the pandemic has made them focus on strategies for subscription, membership, and donations.
