New research reveals growing scepticism around political news, social media, and AI-generated misinformation<\/i> <\/p>\n
SYDNEY<\/span>, May 2, 2025<\/span> \/PRNewswire\/ — Australians are heading into the 2025 federal election with higher anxiety levels than in both 2022 and 2019, with economic instability, global tensions, and misinformation among their biggest concerns.<\/p>\n According to the Real Concerns Report 2025<\/a> by Real Insurance, Australians’ concern level has risen to an index score of 61.9, up from 59.7 in 2022 and 44.5 in 2019. To paint a picture of the top worries on Australians’ minds as they head into the election, the survey asked respondents to identify their overall greatest concern.<\/p>\n Greatest Overall Concerns for Australians in 2025:<\/b> <\/p>\n Compounding these concerns this election year is the rise of misinformation. Nearly nine in ten (87%) Australians are concerned that deepfakes and AI-altered images make it harder to distinguish real from fake, while 86 per cent worry about misinformation spreading rapidly online. This scepticism extends to political news, with two-thirds (66%) reporting feeling more sceptical than in previous election years.<\/p>\n Over one in three (33%) have corrected or fact-checked someone close to them about misinformation, a trend particularly prevalent among younger generations. The report also highlights concerns about the negative influence of social media on political discourse (85%).<\/p>\n Dr. Marian-Andrei Rizoiu, Associate Professor at The University of Technology Sydney, comments: “Voters need to understand that even factually accurate content can be weaponised when presented selectively or out of context to trigger specific emotional responses”.<\/p>\n In response to rising scepticism, Australians are actively adopting more rigorous news verification habits. Nearly 4 in 5 (77%) are making a conscious effort to fact-check political news, primarily by checking multiple news sources (59%) and assessing the credibility of news outlets (40%). Furthermore, the majority (86%) have changed their tech habits to avoid misinformation, including avoiding clickbait (41%) and relying on trusted news sources (36%).<\/p>\n For more information or to access the full Real Concerns Report 2025, click here<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" <\/p>\n New research reveals growing scepticism around political news, social media, and AI-generated misinformation<\/i> <\/p>\n SYDNEY<\/span>, May 2, 2025<\/span> \/PRNewswire\/ — Australians are heading into the 2025 federal election with higher anxiety levels than in both 2022 and 2019, with economic instability, global tensions, and misinformation among their biggest concerns.<\/p>\n\n