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A6 U.S. NEWS
Friday 15 November 2019

AP-NORC/USAFacts poll: Americans struggle to ID true facts

By NICHOLAS RICCARDI tion that comes from the
and HANNAH FINGERHUT government, while just 3 in
Associated Press 10 say the same of federal
WASHINGTON (AP) — In a agency employees.
sharply divided country, When it comes to assessing
here's something many whether information is fac-
Americans agree on: It's tual, at least three-quarters
hard to know what's a true of Americans think it’s very
and honest fact. important for it to be accu-
A new poll from The Asso- rate, and that sources pro-
ciated Press-NORC Center vide all relevant informa-
for Public Affairs Research tion and explain the way
and USAFacts finds that re- that information was gath-
gardless of political belief, ered. Smaller majorities say
many Americans say they the information should in-
have a hard time figuring clude opposing viewpoints
out if information is true. and be devoid of opinion.
Nearly two-thirds of Ameri- About 6 in 10 say they are
cans say they often come very likely to consider infor-
across one-sided informa- mation factual if it is based
tion and about 6 in 10 say on data.
they regularly see conflict- Many Americans say they
ing reports about the same rely on government web-
set of facts from different In this Nov. 13, 2019, photo, President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference with Turkish sites, as well as news sourc-
sources. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the East Room of the White House in Washington. es and social media, to
“It is difficult to get facts. Associated Press get information. In total,
You have to read between 54% say they get informa-
the lines. You have to have The poll found that 47% of mation was gathered and gard among Republicans. tion about the government
a lot of common sense,” Americans believe it’s dif- if it is based on data. Demo- More Democrats than Re- from social media at least
said Leah Williams, 29, of ficult to know if the infor- crats and Republicans alike publicans say they consid- once a day, 52% say that
Modesto, California. A Re- mation they encounter is frequently find the process er something to be factual about local TV news, 50%
publican, Williams says she true, compared with 31% challenging. if it’s been verified by scien- from national TV news net-
relies on like-minded friends who find it easy to do so. But as a president with tists — 72% versus 40% — as works and 47% from cable
and family to help sort When deciding whether a history of making false well as academics — 57% news. About 6 in 10 also say
through conflicting infor- something is factual, there statements and repeating versus 30%. they have used govern-
mation. “There are wolves is widespread consensus debunked conspiracy the- Scott Austin, a Democrat ment websites to look up
in sheep’s clothing every- on the importance of trans- ories faces public hearings from Aurora, Colorado, information.
where." parency in how the infor- this week in only the fourth says he generally trusts sci- And yet, poll found wide-
impeachment inquiry in entists, but checks their af- spread skepticism about
the nation’s history, the poll filiations carefully because these sources — majorities
finds that differing political he believes fraudulent in- say they have little to no
beliefs led Americans down formation abounds. “If I confidence in information
different paths as they try see something that some they get about the govern-
to determine what's a un- scientist from Stanford says, ment from social media,
questionable fact. I’ll believe that because it’s the president, members of
Democrats are more likely Stanford,” he said. Congress and businesses.
to say they rely on scien- Austin, a 52-year-old Army Lynn Joseph, a retired art-
tists and academics, while veteran, says he has to ist in Las Vegas, tries to fer-
Republicans are more likely ping-pong from website ret information out on the
to trust what they hear from to website to try to verify internet, but is skeptical of
President Donald Trump. facts and has found him- just about all sources nowa-
“When I hear him on Fox self increasingly skeptical days. “Do I trust anybody?
News — that’s where I get of government information. No,” she said. “My philoso-
all my information,” said Al Like 54% of Americans, he phy is everybody’s guilty
Corra, a 48-year-old Re- believes the president has until proven innocent.”
publican from Midland, a lot of sway over the infor- Joseph, a Republican, is
Texas. Trump, he said, is the mation distributed by the among the modest group
easiest way to cut through government, and that’s of Trump supporters who
an otherwise confusing in- made him increasingly don’t trust the accuracy
formation environment. skeptical given his lack of of his statements. Overall,
Republicans are more likely trust in what Trump says to about a third of those who
than Democrats to put a be true. approve of the president
great deal of trust in the “I never had a problem say they trust information
president’s statements, 40% trusting the government they get from him about
to 5%. Overall, a majority under Democratic or Re- the government only a
of Americans (61%) have publican administrations moderate amount, and
little to no trust in informa- — until this administration,” roughly another quarter
tion about the government Austin said. say they have little to no
when it comes from Trump, Close to half of Americans trust. “I’m a Trump support-
Corra said he distrusts aca- — 45% — also think mem- er, but I know about him,”
demics as too “liberal" and bers of Congress have a she said. “He speaks before
he's not alone in that re- lot of influence on informa- he should.”q