Thread by @risj_oxford

As the second wave hits the 🇬🇧 UK, 15% of citizens are at risk of being less informed, uninformed or misinformed about #COVID19

This is the main takeaway of a new report we publish today, funded by @NuffieldFound

📱Read here
reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/communications…
🧶 Key findings in thread

2. The report looks into what our researchers call the ‘infodemically vulnerable’, a group that consumes little to no news about #COVID19, and wouldn't trust it even if they did.

📈 Acc. to the data, this group has grown from 6% of the population in April to 15% by late August

3. It's important to bear in mind that:

🗞 Trust in news organisations as a source of information about the pandemic has fallen 12 percentage points from 57% in April to 45% in August.
📺 #COVID19 daily news use has dropped 24 points over the same period, from 79% to 55%

4. #COVID19 news use hasn't fallen equally among every demographic group since April. Here are the differences by age, gender, education and income.

ℹ️ News use has fallen more among women, people under 55 and people with less formal education

5. However, most of the people in the UK are well informed about the coronavirus and many express willingness to follow government guidelines.

ℹ️ It should be noted that these are self-reported data, and may not accurately reflect how people actually behave

6. The public seems receptive to take additional measures to protect themselves and their loved ones.

😷 75-90% say they definitely or probably would wear a mask in public spaces, self-isolate, take a test if offered, and take a coronavirus vaccine if or when one is available

7. Our data shows that millions of people in the UK remain unsure of what they are supposed to do

👩🏾‍🏫 Only 61% think the news media have explained what they can do in response to #COVID19
🏛 Only 58% think the same about the government

📉 Both figures have fallen since April

8. The report, authored by @rasmus_kleis @dragz @antoniskalog & @_FelixSimon_, includes many other insights about the UK #COVID19 communications crisis

Read it here
reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/communications…
Download a PDF version
reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/…