Ireland's trust in news higher than UK, US, and EU - report

Just 16% said they trust news from social media, while 14% said they trust news generated by AI chatbots. Stock picture

Trust in news in Ireland remains higher than in the UK (31%) and the US (26%), and above the European average of 36%, according to new data from the media regulator Coimisiún na Meán.

However, trust is under pressure domestically, with 58% of people saying they do not trust the news.

The Digital News Report for Ireland found trust is lowest among 18- to 24-year-olds at 33%, compared to 52% among those aged 65 and over.

When considering specific sources, 51% of people said they trust the news they personally consume, while 42% said they trust “most news”. Trust falls to 31% for news accessed via search engines.

Just 16% said they trust news from social media, while 14% said they trust news generated by AI chatbots.

The report also found that nearly half (47%) of respondents said they actively avoid news, up from 41% last year.

Public service broadcasting continues to be viewed positively, with 42% saying it has a positive effect on their lives, compared to 20% who said it has a negative effect.

Some 22% of people in Ireland now pay for news, up from 9% in 2016. Of those, 39% said they pay to access content they cannot get elsewhere, while 38% said they do so to support journalism because they believe it is "important to society".

Facebook remains the most commonly used social platform for news in Ireland, cited by 33% of respondents. This was followed by YouTube (26%), Instagram (23%), TikTok (15%), and X (11%).

Concerns about misinformation are also rising, with 71% of respondents saying they are worried about what is real and fake online, up from 68% last year.

Coimisiún na Meán media development commissioner Rónán Ó Domhnaill said while Irish audiences “remain interested in news, there has been a significant decline in their trust in news generally, while trust in major news brands has remained steady".

He said: “The ambition of Coimisiún na Meán is to develop and maintain a media landscape that consumers can trust.

“We do not take the Irish public’s continued interest in news for granted, and the findings underline the need for ongoing attention to the sustainability of the media sector, media literacy, and the evolving role of platforms and technologies in shaping the news media environment.

“For our part, an Coimisiún will continue to support Ireland’s media landscape through investing in high-quality news reporting through our journalism schemes and with our support for media literacy initiatives."