46% of adults cant tell political facts from opinions: UI survey [Video]

URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — A survey out of the University of Illinois shows Americans struggle separating facts from opinions.

An online survey of 2,500 people found that 46 percent of adults had no ability to differentiate when it came to political statements. The College of Political Science also found that many of these errors were rooted in partisan bias.

Illinois Primary Elections 2024

Professor Jeff Mondak said this can have an impact on voting.

“We’re finding that even at the level of accepting that something is a statement of fact or statement of opinion, we have polarization,” he said. “And because of that polarization, it’s not self-serving. It’s self-defeating for the information consumer, because they are making it harder for themselves to get through and tell what is what in the political world.”

Mondak said they will run a new study soon. This one will test non-political statements.

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