TRUTH, TRUST & TRANSPARENCY
The Institute for Public Relations, in cooperation with Leger, released its sixth annual Disinformation in Society Report. Based on a survey of 2,000 U.S. adults, the data gets pointed for communications professionals: 76% of Americans say PR and marketing pros should help combat disinformation, but only 28% think they're actually doing so—a significant trust gap.
Key findings:
71% say disinformation is a major societal issue on par with the economy and homelessness—the highest number in the study's six-year history.
76% say PR and marketing professionals should help combat it, but only 28% think they're doing so "somewhat well."
Social platforms bear the most blame: Facebook (75%), TikTok (68%) and X (65%) are seen as leading contributors to disinformation.
Fewer Americans are blaming AI than last year—45% in 2026 compared to 56% in 2025.
That last key finding is notable. The declining focus on AI suggests the challenge may be less about technology and more about trust, transparency and communication strategy—which puts the onus squarely on communicators.
Tina McCorkindale, President and CEO of the Institute for Public Relations, says because disinformation is an ongoing business risk, society increasingly expects companies and brands to combat it, and communicators are on the front lines.
“Communicators need to move from monitoring to action and focus on strengthening trust with both internal and external stakeholders,” McCorkindale says. She lists three immediate steps for communicators to take:
Auditing ad spend
Supporting local media
Investing in information literacy, internally
“Information literacy, also called media literacy or news media literacy, teaches people how to critically evaluate information across platforms and then make informed decisions,” she says. “This helps them be more resistant to disinformation.”
The full report is available at https://instituteforpr.org/6th-annual-disinformation-in-society-report/