Pew Research: 7 in 10 Americans say Misinformation is the Nation’s Top Threat
Forget nukes, pandemics, or even terrorism — most Americans today believe the biggest danger comes from something far closer to home: lies spreading online.
According to new Pew Research data, 70% of U.S. adults see misinformation as a major threat to the nation. It now outranks climate change, terrorism, and the global economy on the list of dangers Americans worry about most.
But concerns break sharply by party and age.
Democrats are three times as likely as Republicans to call climate change a major threat (78% vs. 24%).
Older Americans are far more concerned about terrorism, while younger Americans point to climate change and the global economy.
Across the spectrum, though, misinformation online cuts through — uniting Americans in alarm.
Globally, the U.S. also stands out: Americans are less likely than people in most other wealthy nations to see climate change as a major threat, but more likely to dismiss it entirely.
As Pew notes, the data highlights a growing divide — but also a rare point of consensus: when truth is under siege, democracy itself is at risk.
