Two-Thirds of Influencers Fail to Verify Content, UNESCO Warns

UNESCO has called for urgent action to help social media influencers improve their fact-checking practices and reduce the spread of misinformation.

A report by the UN’s educational, scientific, and cultural organisation found that two-thirds of influencers do not verify the accuracy of their content before sharing it, making both them and their audiences vulnerable to false information.

The survey revealed that six in ten creators fail to use reliable sources, such as government documents or official websites, before posting.

UNESCO emphasised the need for media literacy education to support influencers in producing accurate and trustworthy content, especially on critical topics like elections or crises.

UNESCO's survey of 500 content creators from 45 countries, primarily in Europe and Asia, revealed most respondents were under 35 and "nano-influencers" with up to 10,000 followers, mainly using Instagram and Facebook.