62% of influencers do not verify before sharing, warns UNESCO

62% of digital content creators They do not systematically verify information before sharing it with their audiences, according to UNESCO, which in a study published this Tuesday, focuses on the practices, challenges and deontology of ‘influencers’.

“The absence of a rigorous critical evaluation emphasizes the urgent need to strengthen the skills of creators for media and information literacy, which includes identifying and using reliable sources,” highlight the authors of the report, prepared with the American university Bowling Green State and titled ‘Behind the Screens’.

To prepare this report, the actions of 500 content creators from 45 countries and 8 different linguistic regions were analyzed through a survey carried out between August and September 2024. This data was then completed with twenty in-depth interviews.

The majority are under 35 years old and are profiles with between one thousand and ten thousand followers on networks, which is the threshold to be considered a ‘nano-influencer’, a category that represents 68% of the sector.

The vast majority (62% of respondents) admitted to “not verifying the accuracy” of information in a systematic and rigorous manner “before sharing it with their audiences,” despite its importance as the main source of analysis and topicality for their followers grows exponentially.

Among the factors they use to measure the credibility of messages, 41.6% trust the content based on the number of ‘likes’ or reproductions. About a third (33.5%) hang messages that come from a source or creator they trust without extra verification.

The reputation of the publisher in the field is the third most mentioned factor (19.4%) and the documentation and evidence used to support the information is only fourth (17%).

Regarding the motivations of ‘influencers’, sharing their knowledge with others is the main reason for their activity (26%), ahead of making money (23.8%), entertaining (23.4%) or expressing their feelings. opinions and emotions (13.8%).

‘Behind the Screens’ also focuses on ignorance of regulations on the right to information and freedom of expression, since “the majority of digital content creators (59%) surveyed were unaware or had only heard of regulatory frameworks and international standards related to digital communication.”

They also have important challenges, such as facing hate speech – of which 32% of those surveyed declared themselves to have been victims – and ethical dilemmas on various topics such as copyright, sponsored content or the abuse of sensationalism to favor their visibility, since their professional activity depends on the platforms’ algorithms.

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The big conclusion of the study is that there is a pressing need for training and support for digital content creators, since the majority do not belong to professional associations and lack guidance.

“Digital content creators have reached an important position in the information ecosystem, engaging millions of people with cultural, social or political news. But many are facing misinformation and hate speech online and are calling for more training,” said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay in a statement.

For this reason, as part of the mandate for media and information literacy, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has launched the first global course to train these new communicators, together with the Knight Center.

9,000 people have already signed up for it since last November 18, Tawfik Jelassi, deputy director general of UNESCO for Communication and Information, announced this Tuesday at the presentation of the study in Paris.