Perceived Exposure to Misinformation and Trust in Institutions in Four Countries Before and During a Pandemic

Abstract

Misinformation could undermine trust in institutions during a critical period when people require updated information about a pandemic and credible information to make informed voting decisions. This article uses survey data collected in 2019 (n = 6,300) and 2021 (n = 6,000) in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Canada to examine the relationship between perceived exposure to misinformation and trust in national news media and the national/federal government. We do not find that perceived exposure to misinformation undermines trust. We test whether these relationships differ for those with left-wing versus right-wing views, by country, period, or electoral context.