A study published in PNAS Nexus reports that Americans consistently overestimate how many social media users post harmful content online. Across three national studies involving 1,090 U.S. adults, participants believed large shares of users on platforms such as Reddit and Facebook engaged in toxic language or shared false news. Platform-level data cited in the research showed that such content is instead produced by small, highly active groups, generally between 3% and 7% of users.
The researchers found that this misperception was linked to more negative emotions, stronger beliefs that the nation is in moral decline, and inaccurate assumptions about what others want to see online. An experimental correction providing accurate data reduced these effects.
Source: PNAS Nexus, December 2025.
Public-interest context: Understanding how online content is produced may affect public trust and social cohesion.
Notes: This post was drafted with the assistance of AI tools and reviewed, edited, and published by humans. Read next:
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The researchers found that this misperception was linked to more negative emotions, stronger beliefs that the nation is in moral decline, and inaccurate assumptions about what others want to see online. An experimental correction providing accurate data reduced these effects.
Source: PNAS Nexus, December 2025.
Public-interest context: Understanding how online content is produced may affect public trust and social cohesion.
Notes: This post was drafted with the assistance of AI tools and reviewed, edited, and published by humans. Read next:
Read next: Digital detox: how to switch off without paying the price – new research
