Majority of Americans trust what’s online less than ever

This story version has been formatted as an on-air script for broadcast outlets. See the original research story here.

THE AVERAGE AMERICAN TRUSTS LESS THAN HALF OF WHAT THEY SEE AND READ ONLINE, ACCORDING TO NEW RESEARCH FROM IDENTITY VERIFICATION COMPANY WORLD I-D.

THE SURVEY OF 2,000 U-S ADULTS CONDUCTED BY TALKER RESEARCH FOUND THAT SKEPTICISM IS AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH WHEN IT COMES TO THE INTERNET.

ACCORDING TO THE RESULTS, AMERICANS BELIEVE ONLY 41 PERCENT OF WHAT THEY CONSUME ONLINE IS TOTALLY ACCURATE, FACT-BASED AND CREATED BY A REAL HUMAN. 

IN FACT, THEY ALSO BELIEVE THAT 23 PERCENT IS COMPLETELY FALSE AND PURPOSELY INACCURATE OR MISLEADING, WHILE 36 PERCENT FALLS SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN.

THIS MAY BE WHY THREE-QUARTERS SAY THEY TRUST THE INTERNET LESS TODAY THAN EVER BEFORE. 

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK? DO YOU FIND IT EASY TO TELL FAKE OR A-I-GENERATED CONTENT FROM REAL? LET US KNOW!

Survey methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 general population Americans; the survey was commissioned by World and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between March 28 through March 31, 2025.

We are sourcing from a non-probability frame and the two main sources we use are:

• Traditional online access panels — where respondents opt-in to take part in online market research for an incentive
• Programmatic — where respondents are online and are given the option to take part in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are engaging in

Those who did not fit the specified sample were terminated from the survey. As the survey is fielded, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to achieve the quotas specified as part of the sampling plan.

Regardless of which sources a respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents were awarded points for completing the survey. These points have a small cash-equivalent monetary value.

Cells are only reported on for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. Data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are put in place to reach the desired sample.

Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they failed quality-checking measures. This includes:

• Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in a time that is quicker than one-third of the median length of interview are disqualified as speeders
• Open ends: All verbatim responses (full open-ended questions as well as other please specify options) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant text
• Bots: Captcha is enabled on surveys, which allows the research team to identify and disqualify bots
• Duplicates: Survey software has “deduping” based on digital fingerprinting, which ensures nobody is allowed to take the survey more than once

It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access.