More than half of Switzerland’s population considers fake news and misleading information a major social problem, while most respondents say they frequently encounter false information on social media websites and other online platforms.
More than half of Switzerland’s population considers fake news and misleading information a major social problem, while most respondents say they frequently encounter false information on social media websites and other online platforms. According to Swissinfo, these findings were published in the 2026 Media Quality Yearbook by the Research Center for the Public Sphere and Society at the University of Zurich.
According to the study, 56.5% of respondents consider fake news a major social problem. The report noted that this figure has increased significantly compared with five years ago. The study also found that more than half of the population regularly encounters misleading information. Social media websites, video-sharing platforms and artificial intelligence-powered chatbots are among the major channels through which such information spreads.
According to the report, 42% of respondents were classified as belonging to the group that is disconnected from news. This refers to people who rarely follow current affairs or obtain only fragmented information through social media. The study noted that this pattern of news consumption may make such individuals more vulnerable to conspiracy theories.
Researchers said people who rely exclusively on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram may face the same level of risk from conspiracy theories as those who remain completely disengaged from news. This suggests that staying away from credible news sources or relying on a limited range of online platforms does not guarantee protection against misleading information. The study found that the overall quality of news remained stable during 2025, although media diversity declined. A total of 44.7% of news reports concerning national politics appeared across several German-language media outlets.
According to the report, 57.7% of respondents considered public broadcasting institutions important or very important. Meanwhile, technology platforms generated up to 2.5 billion Swiss francs, equivalent to approximately $3 billion, in annual advertising revenue. In contrast, revenue for Switzerland’s domestic media outlets fell to 1.94 billion Swiss francs, or around $2.3 billion. To address the impact of fake news and misleading information, researchers proposed several measures, including the introduction of special vouchers to provide young adults with financial assistance for accessing media services.
