Insights on Canadian Society
Shifting perceptions of misinformation in Canada: Trends in exposure, detection and trust

Overview of the study

This study uses data from the Canadian Social Survey to explore trends in exposure to and detection of online misinformation, and how this impacts trust. It examines the sources and platforms Canadians use to access news and information, how frequently they report encountering misinformation, and whether they perceive it to be increasingly difficult to distinguish between true and false information. In addition, the paper analyzes how experiences with misinformation relate to confidence in the media and levels of interpersonal trust.

• In 2025, four in five Canadians (80%) saw news or information on the Internet that they suspected to be misleading, false or inaccurate at least monthly.
• Canadians typically obtain news or information from news organizations (66%), close contacts (62%), social media platforms (54%) and television programming (52%).
• For young Canadians aged 15 to 34 years old, social media was the most prevalent source of news or information, at 78%.
• In 2025, nearly half of Canadians (47%) reported that they were finding it harder to distinguish between true and false news or information compared with three years prior.
• More than three in five Canadians (61%) reported being “very” or “extremely” concerned about online misinformation in 2025.
• Those with a great deal of confidence in the Canadian media were less likely to report finding it harder to distinguish between true and false information, compared with those with lower levels of confidence in the Canadian media.

Introduction

Misinformation—defined as news or information that is verifiably false or inaccurate—has the potential to shape opinions and distort public discourse, making it an ongoing challenge in today’s digital environment. With the proliferation of online content, Canadians are increasingly exposed to information that may not always be reliable.^{Note 1} In fact, data from the Canadian Social Survey (CSS) showed that in 2025, 80% of Canadians reported seeing news or information that they suspected was misleading, false or inaccurate at least once a month. As a result, people now face the added responsibility of questioning whether what they see and read online is accurate, while also being more likely to encounter sophisticated forms of misleading or false content, such as fabricated content, manipulated images and deepfakes (i.e., misleading videos or images generated by artificial intelligence).

This evolving landscape underscores the growing importance of understanding how misinformation circulates, how frequently Canadians encounter it, and whether they are finding it more challenging to distinguish between true and false information. Concurrently, there is increasing interest in whether misleading content may erode public trust or confidence in the Canadian media or information sources.

A recent Statistics Canada study highlighted the widespread concern about misinformation and showed that nearly 6 in 10 Canadians reported being “very” or “extremely” worried about its presence online in 2023.^{Note 2} Previous research has also examined the characteristics associated with fact-checking behaviours among Canadians.^{Note 3} The present study expands this earlier work to provide a deeper understanding of how misinformation is experienced and perceived, as well as how levels of concern and challenges in identifying misinformation have evolved over time.

Using 2025 data from the CSS and 2023 data from the Survey Series on People and their Communities (SSPC), this study first examines the sources and platforms through which Canadians access news and information, how often they report encountering misleading information, and whether they find it increasingly difficult to distinguish between true and false information. Second, the paper explores the relationship between misinformation, confidence in the media and trust in others—examining how challenges related to distinguishing between true and false online information may be associated with lower levels of social trust and confidence in the media.

Canadians most often get their news or information from news organizations

Canadians’ preferences for sources of news or information are an important component of Canada’s information ecosystem and can affect how exposed Canadians are to misinformation.

In 2025, data from the CSS showed that Canadians most typically obtained news or information from news organizations^{Note 4} (66%), close contacts (62%), social media platforms (54%) and television programming (52%).^{Note 5} In contrast, some traditional information sources, such as radio (38%) and print media (21%), were less reported in 2025 (Chart 1).

Data table for Chart 1

Data table for Chart 1
Table summary
The information is grouped by Sources and platforms for news or information (appearing as row headers), Proportion, 95% confidence interval, Lower and Upper, calculated using percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).

Sources and platforms for news or information	Proportion	95% confidence interval
		Lower	Upper
	percent
Notes: Data come from two survey questions: MIS1_Q06 and MIS1_Q07. The following categories were excluded from this chart because of their conceptual similarity to more commonly selected responses: social media users; news website, app or other platform; and conversations with close contacts. Error bars represent 95% confidence intervals. Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Social Survey - Quality of Life, Climate Change and Trust, 2025.
News organizations	65.7	64.4	66.9
Close contacts	61.6	60.4	62.8
Social media platforms	54.3	53.1	55.4
Television programming	51.6	50.3	52.8
Radio	37.6	36.4	38.9
Video and audio streaming	34.1	32.9	35.3
Government communications	33.8	32.6	35.0
Scientific experts or peer-reviewed journals	26.7	25.5	27.8
Online forums and discussion groups	23.9	22.7	25.0
Print media	21.2	20.3	22.2
Other websites	10.8	10.0	11.6
No sources	3.4	3.0	3.9
Other sources	0.9	0.6	1.1
Other platforms	0.5	0.2	0.7

Canadians’ typical sources of news or information differ across age groups

While news organizations were an important source across all age groups, the prevalence of this source of information increased with age. Canadians aged 15 to 24 were the least likely to rely on news organizations (49%), compared with over three in four Canadians aged 75 and over (78%). A similar trend was observed for those using television programming as an information source. About 3 in 10 Canadians aged 25 to 34 (29%) used this source, compared with 84% of those aged 75 and over (Chart 2).

For Canadians aged 15 to 34 years old, social media was the most prevalent source of information, at 78%. However, the proportion of Canadians using social media as a source decreased with age, down to 19% among those aged 75 and over. These findings are supported by results from the Survey of Online Harms in Canada,^{Note 6} a study conducted occasionally by the Dais at Toronto Metropolitan University. This survey has found that social media platforms are increasingly being used as a source for news, particularly among Canadians aged 16 to 29.

Similarly, the proportion of Canadians reporting close contacts as an information source decreased with age. Over three-quarters of Canadians aged 15 to 24 used this source (76%), compared with about half of those aged 75 and over (51%).

Data table for Chart 2

Data table for Chart 2
Table summary
The information is grouped by Sources and platforms for news of information (appearing as row headers), Age group, 15 to 24 years, 25 to 34 years, 35 to 44 years, 45 to 54 years, 55 to 64 years, 65 to 74 years and 75 years and over , calculated using percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).

Sources and platforms for news of information	Age group
	15 to 24 years	25 to 34 years	35 to 44 years	45 to 54 years	55 to 64 years	65 to 74 years	75 years and over
	percent
Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Social Survey - Quality of Life, Climate Change and Trust, 2025.
News organizations	49.4	57.4	63.3	69.9	71.9	77.6	78.4
Close contacts	75.8	68.0	65.1	56.0	54.9	53.3	51.3
Social media platforms	78.8	77.8	64.2	51.8	37.1	30.0	18.9
Television programming	33.1	28.9	39.2	55.7	64.8	76.3	83.6
Video and audio streaming	55.1	49.8	34.4	29.3	24.7	20.1	13.1

Men and women have different preferences for news or information sources

Beyond age, some smaller differences were also found in the most reported information sources of men and women. Women (65%) were more likely than men (58%) to get information from close contacts (Table 1).

Meanwhile, men (38%) were more likely than women (31%) to use video and audio streaming platforms to obtain information. Previous research by Statistics Canada also found that men (73%) were slightly more likely than women (70%) to watch user-generated videos online in 2022.^{Note 7} Frequent consumption of this type of content could potentially lead to the formation of trusting parasocial relationships with content creators,^{Note 8} which may be one factor contributing to video and audio streaming platforms being among the most often-cited information sources.

Social media platforms are the top news or information source for racialized Canadians

Racialized Canadians were more likely to obtain information from social media platforms (70%) and close contacts (63%) relative to other platforms or sources (Table 1).^{Note 9} Use of social media platforms as an information source was also more prevalent for racialized Canadians (70%) than for non-racialized Canadians (48%). Conversely, getting information from news organizations was less common among racialized Canadians (60%) than non-racialized, non-Indigenous Canadians (68%).

Finally, a few differences were also observed between groups based on educational attainment. The prevalence of news organizations as an information source was greatest among those with a university certificate, diploma or degree above the bachelor’s level (78%) and lowest among those with less than a high school diploma or its equivalent (53%).

Most Canadians see suspected misinformation at least monthly

In 2025, four in five Canadians (80%) saw news or information on the Internet that they suspected to be misleading, false or inaccurate on a regular basis—at least monthly. Across nearly all age groups (15 to 74 years), the percentage of Canadians who saw misinformation at least monthly was almost identical—at just over 80% (Table 2). Only adults aged 75 and over were different, with fewer of these Canadians reporting that they regularly saw misinformation on the Internet (62%).^{Note 10}

Across other socioeconomic and geographic characteristics, there were also few differences in the percentage of Canadians who saw misinformation on a regular basis. Only a few groups reported notably lower exposure to misinformation on a regular basis than the overall population: racialized Canadians (75%) and those with less than a high school education (75%). However, the self-reported wording of the question does not distinguish between whether the respondent was less exposed to misinformation (because they visit reputable sites, for example), or whether they were simply less aware that they were seeing misinformation.

Based on a regression model, Canadians with an education above the high school level and those who were non-racialized and non-Indigenous had a greater likelihood of seeing misinformation at least monthly.^{Note 11} Furthermore, people in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia were more likely to see misinformation regularly. Conversely, Canadians aged 35 and over were less likely to see misinformation regularly. While people residing in Quebec (75%) and women (77%) were less likely to report regularly seeing misinformation, these differences were not observed when controlling for other characteristics.

Canadians are finding it more difficult to distinguish between true and false news and information in 2025

Frequently encountering misinformation is only part of the problem—many Canadians are also finding it increasingly difficult to tell what is real from what is fabricated. In 2025, data from the CSS showed that nearly half of Canadians (47%) reported that they were finding it harder to distinguish between true and false news or information compared with three years prior. Another 42% of Canadians reported that the challenge remained “about the same,” while 11% said they found it easier to tell the difference. For context, data from the SSPC found that in 2023, 44% of Canadians reported finding it more difficult to distinguish fact from falsehood. This finding could point to growing challenges in navigating an increasingly complex online environment. Notably, although sources of information and news vary across the lifespan, all age groups similarly claimed difficulty in distinguishing truth from falsehoods.

Women were slightly more likely than men to report increased difficulty distinguishing between true and false information over the past three years (49% of women versus 46% of men) (Table 3). A recent study about susceptibility to misinformation found that women were more likely to believe misinformation than men. However, women also had a more accurate sense of their own abilities to detect falsehoods.^{Note 12}

Around two in five Canadians with less than a high school education (43%) found it difficult to differentiate between true and misleading content online, compared with more than half of Canadians with at least a bachelor’s degree (51%). This, along with the finding that those with higher levels of education are more likely to report seeing misinformation, suggests educated Canadians may be more likely to encounter complex information environments and be more attuned to the challenges of evaluating online information.^{Note 13}

Canadians’ levels of concern about misinformation show little change between 2023 and 2025

In 2023, SSPC data showed that 59% of Canadians reported being “very” or “extremely” concerned about misinformation. This proportion is similar to the proportion in the CSS data, which reached 61% in 2025.

In 2025, older Canadians, as well as people with higher levels of education, were more likely to report being very or extremely concerned about misinformation. For instance, less than half of Canadians aged 15 to 24 (48%) expressed that they were very or extremely concerned about misinformation, compared with over two-thirds of those aged 65 to 74 years (67%).

Concern about misinformation also varied by education level; 45% of those with less than a high school diploma reported being very or extremely concerned about misinformation, compared with more than one-third (69%) of Canadians with some university-level education and above.

These levels are broadly consistent with those observed in 2023 on the SSPC, suggesting that concern by age group and education level has remained relatively stable over time.

Those with higher levels of confidence in the media and social trust are more likely to have confidence in their ability to distinguish between true and false news and information

As Canadians navigate an increasingly complex information landscape, the ability to distinguish between true and false information is tied to broader issues of trust. Confidence in the media and trust in others can shape how people experience misinformation, making these relationships important to understanding its impact.^{Note 14}

In 2025, those with a great deal of confidence in the Canadian media were less likely to report finding it harder to distinguish between true and false information in general (44%), compared with those with lower levels of confidence in the Canadian media (49%) (Chart 3). Conversely, lower levels of confidence in the media appear linked to greater difficulty distinguishing true content from false content.

Data table for Chart 3

Data table for Chart 3
Table summary
The information is grouped by Level of confidence (appearing as row headers), Harder to distinguish, Proportion, 95% confidence interval, Lower and Upper, calculated using percent units of measure (appearing as column headers).

Level of confidence	Harder to distinguish
	Proportion	95% confidence interval
		Lower	Upper
	percent
Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Social Survey - Quality of Life, Climate Change and Trust, 2025.
High confidence in the media	44.1	41.9	46.3
Lower confidence in the media	48.8	47.2	50.4
Most people can be trusted	44.7	42.9	46.5
You cannot be too careful in dealing with people	49.1	47.3	51.0

When asked generally about trust in others, people with lower levels of trust were more likely to feel it has become harder to distinguish between true and false information (49%), while those who believe that most people can be trusted were less likely to have difficulty distinguishing between these (45%). People who were more trusting may feel more confident in their ability to navigate and identify misinformation, while those who were distrustful appear to be more likely to struggle with separating accurate content from misleading content.

These findings suggest that challenges in identifying misinformation tend to appear alongside broader patterns of social distrust and lower confidence in the media, providing useful context for understanding who is more or less vulnerable to misleading information.

Conclusion

The findings from this study highlight how the Canadian information landscape continues to evolve in the context of misinformation. Drawing on data from the CSS and the SSPC, the analysis shows that exposure to misleading content is now a regular occurrence for many Canadians. Meanwhile, a growing share of the population is reporting difficulty distinguishing between accurate and false information, emphasizing the increasing levels of uncertainty in the digital environment.

This study also demonstrates that challenges in identifying misinformation intersect with broader attitudes towards institutions such as the Canadian media, as well as levels of trust in others.

Together, these findings reinforce the importance of understanding how misinformation affects Canadians.

Data sources, methods and definitions

Data sources

The data used in this article are from the 17th wave of the Canadian Social Survey (CSS), titled Quality of Life, Climate Change and Trust, which was collected in the spring of 2025. The CSS is a voluntary, cross-sectional, quarterly survey that collects information on well-being, health, time use, confidence in institutions and other social issues. The target population for the CSS is all non-institutionalized people aged 15 or over living off reserve in the 10 provinces of Canada. Exclusions represent less than 2% of the Canadian population aged 15 and over. The response rate for the 17th wave of the CSS is estimated at 40.3%, with a stratified sample of approximately 30,000 dwellings selected probabilistically. Population-level estimates in the time series were determined using survey and bootstrap weights to reflect the underlying population of Canada.

This article also made comparisons with data from the third wave of the Survey Series on People and their Communities (SSPC), titled Quality of Life, Sources of Information and Trust. The reference period for the SSPC was October 2023. The survey series target sample consisted of a total of 70,000 individuals, with a response rate of 27.2% for the third wave. Survey weighting procedures were undertaken, including non-response adjustment and calibration, to align the sample with the target population.

Definitions

In the SSPC, misinformation is defined as “news or information that is verifiably false or inaccurate. The sharer of misinformation may or may not be aware that it is misinformation. When they are aware, it is often referred to as disinformation.”

Limitations

This study examines changes over time in Canadians’ experiences with misinformation by drawing on two distinct data sources: the 2023 SSPC and the 2025 CSS. While this approach provides valuable insights into evolving attitudes and behaviours, it should be noted that the SSPC and CSS use distinct sampling frames and methodologies. Additionally, each survey had its own sample size, and this may affect the precision of estimates and the comparability of results. Therefore, direct comparisons across surveys should be interpreted with caution. While the data provide useful context for understanding trends, methodological differences mean results are not strictly comparable.

References

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