Almost three-quarters of Australians have encountered misinformation on digital platforms this year.
New research from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) found misleading information about social groups was the most common type of misinformation in 2025.
The ACMA data, published in the How we encounter Misinformation report, showed 72 percent of Australian adults who used a digital platform in the first half of 2025 believed they encountered some form of misinformation on a platform.
“64 percent of Facebook users encountered misinformation on the platform over the six-month period, with the figure remaining consistent from the year prior,” the report stated.
“False or misleading information about certain social groups was the most common type of misinformation in 2025.
“Misinformation related to conspiracy theories, health and medical topics, environmental issues, and science and technology declined from 2024.”
The research also captured information about Australian adults’ experience with labels on misinformation.
“Of those who were exposed to misinformation, 43 percent reported that their most recent encounter was labelled by the platform, with an increase in those marked with ‘Created by artificial intelligence’ compared to 2024.”
The ACMA research also showed that more Instagram, X and TikTok users saw misinformation in their wall or feeds, compared to Facebook and YouTube users.
“YouTube users were more likely to encounter misinformation through advertisements than users on the other four platforms.”
