FACT CHECK #RYJWAT7N

WHAT WE FOUND

High-credibility sources, including the Pew Research Center, confirm that 23% of U.S. adults report having shared a made-up news story 24. This figure includes 14% who shared stories they knew were fake at the time and 16% who shared stories they later realized were fake 45. While more recent data from 2026 suggests high rates of fact-checking 8, the specific statistic regarding the sharing of fabricated news remains a documented finding in research on digital misinformation 28. This 23% figure is consistently cited across multiple research roundups and surveys regarding the spread of fabricated political stories and misleading content 259.

SOURCES

1. 1 · brainly.comFACT-CHECKER
   [FREE] Nearly what percentage of Americans now say that they regularly fact-check news stories? A. 10 percent B. - brainly.com

   TIER A

2. 2 · journalistsresource.orgACADEMIC
   Fake news and the spread of misinformation: A research roundup

   TIER A

3. 3 · americanpressinstitute.orgACADEMIC
   ‘Who shared it?’ How Americans decide what news to trust on social media

   TIER A

4. 4 · pewresearch.orgACADEMIC
   Many Americans Believe Fake News Is Sowing Confusion | Pew Research Center

   TIER A

5. 5 · elon.eduACADEMIC
   The 2017 Survey: The Future of Truth and Misinformation Online, Part 1 of 6 | Imagining the Internet | Elon University

   TIER A

6. 6 · security.orgACADEMIC
   2022 Misinformation and Disinformation Study | Security.org

   TIER A

7. 7 · en.wikipedia.orgWEB
   Social media as a news source - Wikipedia

   TIER B

8. 8 · demandsage.comWEB
   19 Fake News Statistics 2026 [Global Reports & Influence]

   TIER B

9. 9 · redline.digitalWEB
   Fake News Statistics & Facts (2024) — Redline Digital

   TIER B

10. 10 · statista.comWEB
    Statistics & Facts about Fake News | Statista

    TIER B