Core Concepts
Singaporeans perceive fake news to be more prevalent in instant messaging apps than social media, and view the sharing of fake news as a greater problem than its creation. They generally practice good news sharing habits but have lower trust in digital media sources, especially instant messaging apps, compared to traditional and government communication platforms.
Abstract
The study surveyed 75 Singapore-based respondents to understand their perceptions and practices related to news sharing and fake news. Key findings:
News Sources:
- Top sources for general news were social media, local news channels, and government communication platforms.
- Top sources for encountering fake news were instant messaging apps, social media, and word-of-mouth.
Trust in News Sources:
- Respondents had the highest trust in government communication platforms and the lowest trust in instant messaging apps and social media.
- Trust in media sources was negatively correlated with them being perceived as sources of fake news.
News Sharing Practices:
- Respondents shared news they felt was relevant, important or interesting, mainly with friends and family using instant messaging apps.
- Most respondents frequently verified news before sharing, cross-checking with search engines and official government sources.
Perceptions of Fake News:
- Respondents viewed fake news as unacceptable, harmful and a long-term issue, with the sharing of fake news seen as a greater problem than its creation.
- Respondents found it easier to verify fake news by checking multiple sources than to identify it at a glance, and believed the general public had relatively low awareness of fake news.
- Encountering fake news has led to lower overall trust in news.
Stats
The search engine was the most common tool used to ascertain the falsity of fake news.
Most respondents realized a news was fake either very soon or within the day.
50.9% of respondents sent a correction message to those they had shared the fake news with.
Quotes
"The issue of fake news will remain for a long time."
"It is crucial to prevent or stop fake news."
"The sharing of fake news is a greater problem than its creation."