According to a new 37‑nation Pew Research Center survey, a median of 55% of respondents think social media has had a positive impact on democracy, while a median of 35% say it has had a negative one. The study notes that in most countries with trend data, the share calling social media a “bad thing” for democracy has risen significantly since 2022 or 2023.
In several European economies the shift is stark. Germany’s “good thing” share fell from 57% in 2022 to 37% in 2026, with the “bad thing” share climbing from 41% to 61%. Japan saw its positive rating drop from 57% to 48% and its negative rating rise from 23% to 43%. Hungary’s positive view slipped from 65% to 49% and negative from 22% to 42%; Poland’s positive fell from 67% to 55% and negative rose from 15% to 35%. Indonesia’s positive rating fell from 64% in 2023 to 55% in 2026, while its negative rating grew from 24% to 43%. The Netherlands recorded a positive rating of 27% and a negative rating of 70% in 2026, down from 44% positive and 54% negative in 2022. Sweden’s positive rating decreased from 66% to 49% and its negative rating increased from 32% to 47%. France, Spain, the United Kingdom, Canada and Greece all showed similar patterns: positive shares fell between 8 and 16 percentage points while negative shares rose by roughly the same amount.
The United States stands out with 64% of adults saying social media is bad for democracy, a figure that has remained unchanged since 2022. The survey notes that the seven nations where half or more view social media as harmful—Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the U.S.—are also among the wealthiest surveyed. By contrast, in lower‑income countries such as Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, the Philippines and Thailand, roughly three‑in‑four or more say social media has been good for democracy.
When asked about specific effects, a median of 60% across the 37 nations said access to the internet and social media has increased people’s ability to have a meaningful voice in politics, and a median of 77% believe it has led people to be more informed about current events. At the same time, a median of 79% think it has made it easier to manipulate people with false information and rumors, and a median of 68% say it has made people more divided in their political opinions.
The survey also provides country‑level data on perceived polarization. In 2026, 79% of Poles, 82% of Germans, 69% of French, 64% of Japanese, 80% of Spaniards, 79% of Britons and 79% of Hungarians said social media has made people more divided, compared with 50%, 65%, 52%, 47%, 66%, 66% and 67% respectively in 2022.
Age differences are notable: in the United Kingdom, 60% of adults aged 18 to 34 view social media’s influence on democracy as good, while only 31% of those 50 and older share that view. In the United States, 44% of adults younger than 35 hold the positive view, compared with 28% of people 50 and older.