With the 2024 United States presidential election coming in November, misinformation will be proliferating on social media. Three-fifths of American social media users want mandatory user identity verification to deter the spread of fake news by imposters and bots, according to a poll conducted by NSRC Market Research on behalf of Media.com. “Although some social media companies such as X (formerly Twitter) offer a form of profile verification for users who pay for it, many people want a more stringent level of identity verification,” said Media.com founder and CEO James Mawhinney in a press release. “We believe that one way to protect and empower our users in the age of misinformation is to disallow fake profiles.”Additionally, Media.com found two-thirds were more likely to trust platforms requiring proof of identity for verified users. It said Americans support universal fact-checking (57%), mandatory user identity verification (55%) and stringent penalties for spreading falsehoods (42%). Another 76% are hesitant to engage with content from unverified sources. Two-fifths have encountered misinformation occasionally and 11% frequently, with significant impacts towards user perception and behaviour. A substantial number call for government regulation (51%) and legal responsibility (62%) for platforms hosting false content. “It's not just about having a tick or badge next to your name; it’s about restoring public trust in information,” said Mawhinney.The survey was conducted of 1,005 active American adult multi-social media users. No margin of error was assigned to it.
