Four in 10 UK adults have encountered misinformation in the past month, Ofcom says

According to new research from Ofcom, four out of every 10 adults in the UK have come across misinformation or deepfake content in the past month.

The study, conducted in the week leading up to the UK general election on 4 July, revealed that individuals were most likely to encounter false or misleading information about UK politics, followed by international politics and current affairs, and health information.

A rising concern over the threat of misinformation and particularly deepfakes - AI-generated or manipulated images, video and audio - has been voiced by numerous industry experts and academics. Over the past year, several prominent UK politicians have been targeted with such content.

Ofcom's research also indicated that the proliferation of deepfakes has undermined people's confidence in their ability to discern misinformation. While 45% expressed confidence in their ability to judge the veracity of information sources, this figure fell to just 30% when it came to determining whether an image, audio or video had been generated by AI.

Despite 24% of respondents claiming they counter misinformation by verifying details on a trusted news website, the study also highlighted scepticism towards traditional news sources and production processes, fuelled by misinformation. The study revealed that 29% of participants believe a single group secretly controls the world, while 42% think significant news stories are suppressed by mainstream media outlets. Only 32% agreed that journalists adhere to professional codes of practice.

The forthcoming Online Safety Act will grant Ofcom additional responsibilities to enhance media literacy nationwide, including raising awareness about online safety measures. The research was published on the same day Ofcom announced the appointment of a chairman for its new Disinformation and Misinformation Advisory Committee.

This committee will advise Ofcom on how it and the online services covered by the Online Safety Act should handle disinformation and misinformation. Marijus Briedis, a cybersecurity expert at NordVPN, stated that misinformation is currently "rife" in the UK.

He added that Ofcom’s report indicates that the Government and the media "urgently need to take action to tackle its damaging effects."

"AI plays a massive part in spreading misinformation — creating false but convincing narratives has never been so easy."