MEBRO

FACT CHECK #8QZLPAUX

07/02/26 · 7:02 PM UTC · 10 SOURCES

“During the 2016 US election, Facebook users over 65 shared nearly seven times as many articles from fake news domains as the youngest users”
TRUE ✓

HIGH CONFIDENCE

TL;DR ·Research confirms users over 65 shared seven times more fake news than younger adults.

WHAT WE FOUND

Multiple high-credibility studies and reports confirm that during the 2016 US presidential election, Facebook users aged 65 and older shared significantly more misinformation than younger cohorts , . Specifically, this demographic shared nearly seven times as many articles from fake news domains as the youngest age group, defined as those between 18 and 29 , , . While the overall prevalence of fake news sharing was relatively low, with only about 8.5 percent of users sharing at least one such article, the age effect remained strong even when researchers controlled for factors like political ideology and partisanship , , . This finding was consistent across academic research from institutions like NYU and Princeton, as well as major news outlets , , .

SOURCES

  1. 1 · eurekalert.orgACADEMIC
    Who shared fake news on Facebook during the 2016 US presidential election? | EurekAlert!

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  2. 2 · science.orgACADEMIC
    Less than you think: Prevalence and predictors of fake news dissemination on Facebook | Science Advances

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  3. 3 · csmapnyu.orgACADEMIC
    Less Than You Think: Prevalence and Predictors of Fake News Dissemination on Facebook - NYU’s Center for Social Media, AI, and Politics

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  4. 4 · newsweek.comACADEMIC
    Over-65s Spread the Most Fake News During 2016 Election: Study - Newsweek

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  5. 5 · academia.eduACADEMIC
    (PDF) Less than you think: Prevalence and predictors of fake news dissemination on Facebook

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  6. 6 · researchmethodscommunity.sagepu…ACADEMIC
    Fake news sharing is rare but older people over 65 are more likely to share these articles, study finds — Sage Research Methods Community

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  7. 7 · nytimes.comACADEMIC
    Older People Shared Fake News on Facebook More Than Others in 2016 Race, Study Says - The New York Times

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  8. 8 · cbc.caACADEMIC
    Fake news on Facebook in 2016 U.S. election period shared most by seniors, conservatives: study | CBC News

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  9. 9 · theverge.comACADEMIC
    People older than 65 share the most fake news, a new study finds | The Verge

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  10. 10 · apnews.comNEWS
    Elderly, conservatives shared more Facebook fakery in 2016 | AP News

    TIER A

VERDICT TOTALTRUE ✓
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