Weaponization Of Misinformation Weakens Democratic Institutions

By John Kelly Marah

A growing tide of misinformation and disinformation is rapidly undermining public trust in news, the 2026 Global Risks Report has warned, placing the integrity of information ecosystems under unprecedented strain worldwide.

Findings from the Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2025 reveal that 58 percent of people globally now struggle to tell truth from falsehood online. The concern is most acute in Africa and the United States, where nearly three-quarters of respondents (73 percent) say misinformation has become a serious problem.

Public confidence in news has steadily declined. In 2018, 44 percent of respondents said they trusted news, but by 2025 that figure had fallen to 40 percent. At the same time, news avoidance climbed sharply from 32 percent to 40 percent, signaling growing disengagement from traditional information sources.

The report links this erosion of trust to the explosive growth of social media and digital platforms, which have transformed how news is produced, shared, and consumed—often without adequate verification or accountability.

Misinformation and disinformation now rank among the top three global risks in Europe and Eastern Asia, and second in North America. Overall, the threat appears in the top ten risks in 67 countries, and is the number one concern in four economies.

Adding to the challenge is the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence tools for information discovery. Usage doubled from 11 percent in 2024 to 24 percent in 2025, but public skepticism remains high, with many fearing AI will make news less transparent, less accurate, and less trustworthy.

The spread of deepfakes—manipulated videos, images, and audio—has further intensified concerns. Once costly and rare, deepfakes are now cheap, accessible, and increasingly convincing. Following the 2024 “super election year,” their influence on politics and democratic processes has grown significantly.

Experts caution that the weaponization of misinformation and synthetic content could weaken democratic institutions, deepen polarization, and trigger social unrest if left unchecked.

The report calls on global leaders, media organizations, and technology firms to confront misinformation as a systemic global risk, warning that the cost of inaction could be severe for democracy, stability, and social cohesion.