Mindshare's New Research: Living In The Matrix

The pandemic has created a reinforced need for accurate information from consumers. Yet at a time when people require more reliable information, fake content has continued to grow with 1 in 5 consumers worldwide having shared information that has turned out to be fake.

This simple statistic demonstrates just how vulnerable we are to misinformation and as a result, consumers are developing more trust issues with the media they consume. Mindshare has found that 59% of consumers are worried about misinformation online and almost half of global consumers (48%) are investigating new sources of information that provide them with ‘the truth’.

In the Platform Age, where global digital platforms have more users than countries have citizens, the consumer has a more powerful voice and a greater ability to share it. Mindshare has found that ‘truth’ is becoming more subjective than ever before in this Platform Age, with different voices, opinions, perspectives, beliefs and ultimately ‘truths’ being shared for people to identify with. 

Digital platforms are often blamed for exacerbating polarisation by creating echo chambers that prevent people from being exposed to information that contradicts their pre-existing beliefs and 66% agree that technology has been used to change the make-up of our societies.

Calls for social media platforms to take responsibility for content on their platforms and action towards counteracting fake information, have grown in volume at a time when fake information is having an increased impact on society.

Different platforms are taking different approaches - Twitter’s Birdwatch community-based approach to misinformation, Facebook’s Climate Science Hub to eradicate misleading information on climate change and BBC news and Euronews purposefully debunking fake news But, as platforms do their bit to counteract fake news, brands also have a responsibility. Consumers are not only beginning to mistrust information but are also becoming more aware of brands, for example, 66% are becoming more conscious of what brands are doing with their data.

As the growth of false and unreliable information on the internet is a cultural, political and technology phenomenon that has become hard to tackle, brands and platforms need to harness the opportunity to not only deliver value to consumers but to also connect to people’s values by ensuring they are a source of truth.

For more information please contact Greg Brooks: +44(0)7826869312 | [email protected]