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By Adeola Adeosun
Weekend Night Editor
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A new study released by NewsGuard reveals that 49 percent of Americans say they believed at least one of the top false news claims circulating online in June.
The research, conducted through NewsGuard's newly launched Reality Gap Index in partnership with YouGov, surveyed 1,000 Americans and found that only 7 percent of those surveyed could correctly identify all three false claims as untrue.
The study represents the group's first ongoing measurement of mainstream Americans' susceptibility to online misinformation.
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The Context
This research provides the first quantifiable measure of how effectively false information penetrates American public opinion. With 74 percent of respondents expressing uncertainty about at least one claim's veracity, the findings highlight the challenge facing voters where shared factual understanding appears increasingly fragmented.
The study's methodology could offer policymakers, platforms and educators concrete data about misinformation's real-world impact on public perception.
What To Know
The Reality Gap Index tracks Americans' belief in provably false claims with significant online spread, selected based on virality, impact and potential harm.
Beginning with June's study, NewsGuard intends to publish monthly reports tracking these trends, providing insights into how hoaxes and foreign information operations can succeed in misleading the public.
Pallets of Bricks During Deportation Protests
The first false claim alleged that pallets of bricks were strategically placed in Los Angeles, designed to arm demonstrators during June's deportation protests.
This claim saw mixed public response: 23.48 percent of Americans believed it was true, 33.20 percent correctly identified it as false and 43.32 percent were unsure.
NewsGuard's investigation found no evidence supporting this assertion. Images and videos cited as proof were misrepresented, including footage from locations outside California. Conservative and conspiracy theory commentators like President Donald Trump ally actor James Woods had amplified this unfounded narrative across social media platforms.
Senators' Ukraine Hotel Expenses
The second claim suggested that Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal spent over $800,000 in taxpayer funds on hotels during a Ukraine trip.
This false claim proved particularly confusing to Americans: 26.88 percent believed it was true, only 16.53 percent correctly identified it as false, and a majority (56.59 percent) were unsure. NewsGuard's fact-checking revealed this was false.
The cited government payments to a Ukrainian organization were actually designated for U.S. diplomatic accommodations covering the entire month of June, not senators' personal expenses during their May visit.
South African 'White Genocide' Claims
The third false narrative promoted the idea of systematic killings of white South Africans as part of a "white genocide."
Americans showed divided opinions on this claim: 26.07 percent believed it was true, 40.47 percent correctly identified it as false and 33.46 percent were unsure.
Human rights experts and available crime data contradict these assertions. NewsGuard found no evidence of systematic targeting of white South Africans, who maintain disproportionate wealth in the nation. The claims misrepresent both the nature and scale of violence affecting white farmers.
Study Methodology
NewsGuard commissioned YouGov to conduct an online survey of 1,000 Americans age 18 and older last month. The nationally representative sample was presented with three false claims drawn from NewsGuard's False Claim Fingerprints database, which tracks provably false narratives gaining online traction.
Participants responded whether each claim was "True," "False" or "Not Sure." After completing the survey, respondents received accurate debunking information to ensure the research didn't inadvertently advance misinformation.
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What Happens Next
NewsGuard will publish monthly Reality Gap Index reports tracking Americans' susceptibility to false claims over time. These reports will appear in the organization's Reality Check newsletter, which examines false information, its spread patterns and originators.
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