More than half of Swiss worried about disinformation, study finds

Consuming quality media is considered the most effective protection against disinformation, according to the study authors. KEYSTONE/© KEYSTONE / GAETAN BALLY

Some 56.5% of the Swiss population view fake news as a major social problem – significantly more than five years ago. More than half regularly come across misleading content, particularly on social media, video platforms and via AI chatbots, the Research Centre for the Public Sphere and Society (fög) revealed in a new study.

According to the fög’s 2026 Quality of the Media Yearbook, published on Monday, the quality of news media remained stable in 2025, but diversity declined. Nearly one in three articles in the German-speaking Swiss press appeared in several publications; in the case of national political reporting, the figure was as high as 44.7%.

According to the centre, which is based at the University of Zurich, 42% of those surveyed are “news-deprived”, meaning they either do not keep up with current affairs or obtain their information in a piecemeal fashion via social media. This group is therefore particularly susceptible to conspiracy theories, which are perceived as a growing risk.

Consuming quality media is considered the most effective protection against disinformation. Social media platforms, on the other hand, offer no protective effect. According to the study, those who obtain their information exclusively via TikTok or Instagram are just as susceptible to conspiracies as people who do not consume news at all.

Support for public broadcaster, crisis among private outlets

With regard to the licence renewal for the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (Swissinfo’s parent company) in 2029, the study reveals strong public support: 57.7% consider public broadcasting, as provided by the SBC, to be important or very important. Contrary to the SBC’s current cost-cutting plans, they expect the corporation to provide a comprehensive range of news, education, culture, sport and entertainment, according to the study findings.

While tech platforms siphoned off up to CHF2.5 billion ($3 billion) in Swiss advertising revenue annually, revenue for the domestic media fell to CHF1.94 billion, according to the fög. The researchers are therefore calling for counter-measures, such as media vouchers for young adults.

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Translated from German, reviewed by an English Department journalist. 

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