By Kim Hart, Sara Fischer | Axios
Political operatives who once relied on one-sided media outlets and platforms during campaigns now acknowledge their role in the erosion of trust in media and facts in general.
Why it matters: Increased polarization of media on both sides of the political spectrum has created a crisis of faith in the objective truth, leading to an unprecedented erosion of trust in institutions in America. Experts argue this could have a serious impact on the future of Western democracy.
People are struggling to distinguish real facts from fake news, driving a collapse of trust in the media and government as institutions. According to Edelman’s latest Trust Barometer survey:
Over 60% of people worldwide say they can’t distinguish between false reporting and objective journalism, and nearly 70% worry that fake news is being used as a political weapon.
