No Brasil, 30% não estão preocupados com a verificação de informações
Valor Internacional - 14/4/2026 - [gif]
Autor: Daniela Braun e Todd Harkin
Survey covers 5,250 internet users aged 16 and over
Most internet users in Brazil rely on social media and messaging apps as their primary sources of daily information. A significant share also does not verify whether the content they encounter online is true or false, according to the ICT Panel—Information Integrity survey conducted by the Brazilian Network Information Center (NIC.br) and the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee (CGI.br).
Among 5,250 internet users aged 16 and over, 72% access information daily via social media, including short videos (53%), video platforms or apps (50%), and news feeds (46%), according to the study by the Regional Center for Studies on the Development of the Information Society (Cetic.br).
The survey, conducted between August and September, shows that 60% of respondents seek information daily through messaging apps, 58% through radio and television (including news broadcasts and 24-hour news channels), and 34% through newspapers and magazines, in print or digital formats. Overall, 65% of internet users report consuming news daily, although this share drops to 46% among those aged 16 to 24.
The findings point to a relatively low inclination among Brazilians to verify the information they consume. A total of 34% agree fully or partially with the statement that “it is not worth checking whether the information I receive is true or false,” while 30% show no interest in doing so. By contrast, 20% of respondents display a more engaged profile, expressing concern about verifying information.
Among users who do not check information received via messaging apps or social media, 36% attribute this to forgetfulness, while 33% cite a lack of time or interest.
The study also highlights the growing presence of manipulated content: 41% of respondents report daily exposure to images, videos, or audio altered using generative artificial intelligence to appear real. In addition, 47% say they use AI assistants.
“What is being discussed internationally is that verification will become more complex, as it is much harder to trace the origin of information through these means than through a journalist or a traditional news outlet,” noted Fabio Senne, general research coordinator at Cetic.br.
A more disengaged attitude toward verifying information is more common among younger users, men, individuals in lower-income groups (classes C and D/E), and those with incomplete primary education.
The survey also shows that socio-demographic, socioeconomic, and connectivity-related factors influence the ability to correctly classify online information as “false” or “misleading.” Respondents were asked to assess statements that circulated in Brazil over the past two years as true or false. Conducted in partnership with fact-checking agency Lupa, the exercise included 16 true and 8 false items on topics such as the environment, health, and technology, including both human-generated content and eight items produced by artificial intelligence. Accuracy rates were higher among respondents aged 45 and over, those in higher-income groups (classes A and B), and individuals with higher levels of education.
Access to information in the online environment also varies by socioeconomic profile. The share of respondents who access news websites or portals daily, for example, is higher among respondents in classes A and B (58%) than among those in classes C (33%) and D/E (27%).
Around half of respondents report that they “always” or “most of the time” distrust information published or shared by different sources, including traditional news outlets (48%), channels, pages, or profiles on video or streaming platforms (47%), and influencers or public figures on social media (43%).
The study also identified gaps in understanding how algorithms and content recommendation systems operate on digital platforms. Half of the respondents believe that content that circulates more widely online is more trustworthy.
At the same time, Brazilians show awareness of how monetization works on the internet: 64% agree that influencers adopt controversial positions to gain visibility, and 61% understand that social media platforms are free because they generate revenue through advertising.
