The 2026 Disinformation in Society Report, a collaborative effort between the Institute for Public Relations (IPR) and Leger, captures a sobering reality: we are living in an era where the truth feels increasingly fragile. With 71% of Americans now identifying disinformation as a top-tier national crisis—ranking it alongside economic instability and the homelessness epidemic—it is clear that the blur between fact and fiction has become a primary source of national anxiety. This is the highest level of concern we have seen to date, signaling that the public is not just passively observing this trend; they are feeling the weight of it. Half of all Americans admit that exposure to misinformation causes them genuine stress and anxiety, leading roughly 40% to cope by simply checking out of the news cycle entirely. When the public retreats from the information landscape to preserve their mental health, the goal of a well-informed democracy becomes infinitely harder to achieve.
Perhaps the most striking outcome of this year’s data is the shifting burden of responsibility. Americans are no longer looking solely to the government to solve the problem; they are turning their eyes toward the private sector. A resounding 76% of adults now believe that brands, corporations, and business leaders have a moral obligation to step into the fray and combat disinformation. However, there is a deep, unsettling “expectations gap” at play. While the public demands that businesses take the lead, they are currently unimpressed with the effort. With only a 25% approval rating for how corporations and CEOs are handling the issue, businesses are essentially being told that they are failing to meet the very standard that the public expects them to set. It is a clarion call for transparency and accountability that boardrooms can no longer afford to ignore.
This distrust is not happening in a vacuum; it is rooted in where we choose to get our information. As institutional credibility falters, Americans are retreating into their personal networks, trusting friends and family far more than the official media or government outlets. Social media platforms, which were once heralded for their ability to connect us, are now viewed with widespread suspicion as the primary engines of misinformation. Facebook, TikTok, and X are overwhelmingly cited as being major contributors to the problem. The irony is palpable: platforms built on the premise of global connection are driving the polarization of our society. In fact, 76% of respondents believe that disinformation is the primary engine of our current political division, and 65% feel it is actively undermining the democratic process itself.
In the midst of this turbulent digital ecosystem, local news remains a rare, flickering beacon of hope. Despite a nationwide decline in local journalism—a trend that is leaving behind “news deserts” where communities are left without a reliable watchtower—it remains one of the few sources that manages to bridge the partisan divide. Both Democrats and Republicans still see local reporting as a tether to reality. This suggests that as people become more fragmented by global social media algorithms, there is a latent public craving for information that is grounded in the reality of their own neighborhoods. When trust in national institutions is at an all-time low, the “hyper-local” might just be the last remaining area where we can find common ground and shared facts.
Intriguingly, the narrative around Artificial Intelligence has taken a surprising turn. Despite the hype surrounding AI’s potential to accelerate the spread of falsehoods, the public’s fear of the technology has actually cooled. Concern that AI will exacerbate disinformation dropped by 11 percentage points compared to last year, while trust in generative AI tools actually climbed to 40%. This shift suggests that Americans are becoming more sophisticated in their digital literacy; rather than panicking about a “robot takeover” of truth, they may be learning to integrate these tools into their lives with a measured, albeit cautious, optimism. It is a reminder that the public’s perception of technology is fluid, often adapting much faster than the dire predictions made by industry analysts.
Ultimately, this report is a strategic wake-up call for leaders in PR and business. Disinformation is no longer just a “social media problem” or a public relations headache—it is a core business issue that affects everything from stock valuation to long-term brand equity. Dave Scholz, Chief Strategy Officer at Leger, correctly points out that there is a massive window of opportunity for leaders who are willing to bridge the gap between public expectation and reality. By committing to radical transparency and prioritizing accuracy in their messaging, organizations have the chance to rebuild the trust that has been so thoroughly eroded. Businesses that navigate this complex landscape with integrity will not only perform better; they will serve as much-needed anchors for a society struggling to find its footing in a sea of unchecked information.