A new Pew Research Center survey across 37 countries finds that in most nations with trend data, the share of the public who believes social media is bad for democracy has increased significantly from 2022 or 2023 to now. Views are particularly negative in the United States, where 64% of adults say social media is bad for democracy.
The report surveyed 42,151 people across 36 countries, including Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and others. Interviews were conducted from Feb. 8 to May 13, 2026.
In countries like Germany, Japan, Hungary, Poland, Indonesia, the Netherlands, Sweden, France, Spain, the U.K., Canada, and Greece, the percentage saying social media is a "bad thing" for democracy rose sharply compared to earlier surveys. For example, in Germany, 61% now say it is bad, up from 41% in 2022.
The research helps the public, media, and decision-makers understand important topics about democracy and the impact of emerging technologies like social media and artificial intelligence.
Source: Hacker News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing