Social media groups fuel misinformation in UK 'news deserts,' report finds

Lead

Local social media groups are increasingly becoming breeding grounds for misinformation, particularly in areas of the UK where traditional local journalism has disappeared, according to a new report by the Social Market Foundation (SMF) thinktank. The study, which analyzed more than 125,000 social media posts, found that misinformation was nearly three times more common in communities with little or no recognized local journalism, as reported by The Guardian. The findings have prompted calls from senior MPs for action to address the growing influence of unreliable online groups.

Coverage Comparison

The Guardian's coverage of the report highlights two key aspects: the general scale of misinformation across Britain and a specific case study in the Makerfield by-election, where anti-Andy Burnham fake news surged. Both articles draw on the same SMF research but emphasize different facets. The first focuses on the broader implications for 'news deserts' and the decline of local news outlets, while the second zooms in on the electoral impact, noting that nearly one in six pieces of news shared in local Facebook groups during the Makerfield campaign was false.

The SMF study is the primary source for both articles, with The Guardian providing the only detailed reporting on the findings so far. The outlet's coverage incorporates quotes from MPs and experts, including Chi Onwurah and Jamie Gollings, as well as data from the Reuters Institute's annual digital news report.

Key Claims

• Misinformation prevalence: The study found that misinformation was nearly three times more common in areas with little or no recognized local journalism. In communities with local news coverage, the rate was significantly lower, according to The Guardian's report.
• Topics: Immigration and Islamophobia were the most common topics of misinformation across Facebook and X, the study found.
• Election spikes: Misinformation grew as a share of news posts by 56% in the run-up to local elections, from 8.2% to 12.9% of all news posts, compared with earlier in the year.
• Case study areas: In the Gorton and Denton groups, 6.5% of news-related posts were identified as misinformation, The Guardian reported.
• News deserts: More than 4.4 million people in the UK now live in areas with no dedicated local news provider, according to the SMF report.
• Makerfield by-election: The SMF analyzed over 1,800 posts across four local Facebook groups in the Makerfield constituency, representing 66,000 members. The share of news posts classified as misinformation jumped from 4% before the by-election was called to 16% during the campaign, a four-fold increase, as reported by The Guardian.
• News consumption trends: Nearly half of Britons (46%) now seek out local news through social media, second only to television, and over a third (34%) use local social media groups for this purpose, according to data from the Reuters Institute cited by The Guardian.

Perspectives

The SMF's authors describe local online groups as "the silent killer of trust in Britain," according to The Guardian. Their analysis uncovered faked local authority communications, AI-generated content, and misleading claims of councils behaving corruptly. Examples included a false post suggesting Birmingham council meetings had "stopped being conducted in English altogether" and another pointing to a false expansion of London's congestion charge.

MPs have expressed concern about the growing influence of these unreliable groups. One MP told The Guardian that the groups in his area were read in far greater numbers than any local media outlet—and even some national media—yet were run by administrators with no legal experience or who openly supported a particular party.

Chi Onwurah, quoted by The Guardian, linked the issue to the decline of local news outlets and the lack of regulation on social media. Theo Bertram, also quoted, commented on the electoral impact, noting the hostile nature of the content targeting Labour candidates.

While the report focuses on the UK, its implications resonate globally, as social media platforms continue to replace traditional news sources. The authors call for greater regulation and support for local journalism to counter the spread of misinformation.

Correction and context: The SMF study analyzed a large sample of posts, but the specific methodology and full findings are only partially detailed in The Guardian's reporting. As with any single-source study, independent verification of the statistics is recommended.