Is information more trusted when it’s backed by data and statistics? The answer isn’t a straightforward ‘yes’:
A recent Eurobarometer survey reveals that across the EU27, only 39% of respondents report trusting information ‘much more’ or ‘slightly more’ when it is backed by statistics and data. In contrast, about a quarter of those surveyed are skeptical, trusting such information ‘slightly less’ or ‘much less’. A notable 36% feel that data and statistics neither increase nor decrease their trust.
Countries like Finland and Ireland stand out, with over half of their respondents showing increased trust in data-supported information. Cyprus, Estonia, Sweden, and Malta also see a majority placing greater trust in such information, opposed to France, where less than a third share that sentiment.
In France, Bulgaria, Czechia, and Italy, nearly one-third of the respondents indicate that statistics and data lead them to trust the information less.
Note on the charts: ‘Trust more’ is derived from the sum of respondents answering ‘Trust much more’ and ‘Trust slightly more’. ‘Trust less’ combines those who answered ‘Trust slightly less’ and ‘Trust much less’. Figures don’t include respondents who answered ‘Don’t know’, which is why sums may not equal 100%.
Read more:
- European Comission, Eurobarometer 536 on Public awareness and trust in European statistics, fieldwork conducted in October 2023 with 25,903 respondents across the 27 EU member states.