New research reveals growing scepticism around political news, social media, and AI-generated misinformation

SYDNEY, May 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Australians are heading into the 2025 federal election with higher anxiety levels than in both 2022 and 2019, with economic instability, global tensions, and misinformation among their biggest concerns.

According to the Real Concerns Report 2025 by Real Insurance, Australians' concern level has risen to an index score of 61.9, up from 59.7 in 2022 and 44.5 in 2019. To paint a picture of the top worries on Australians' minds as they head into the election, the survey asked respondents to identify their overall greatest concern.

Greatest Overall Concerns for Australians in 2025:

• Financial concerns (i.e., cost of living, economic stability, and financial security) – 52%
• Health concerns (i.e., efforts required to eat/exercise right, stay safe, and be healthy) – 13%
• State of the nation (i.e., clarity in government policies, stability in local politics, international relations) – 13%
• Climate change and environment (i.e., degrading environment and legacy left for children) – 10%
• Work and education (i.e., work-life balance, stress, career development, and job security) – 7%

Compounding these concerns this election year is the rise of misinformation. Nearly nine in ten (87%) Australians are concerned that deepfakes and AI-altered images make it harder to distinguish real from fake, while 86 per cent worry about misinformation spreading rapidly online. This scepticism extends to political news, with two-thirds (66%) reporting feeling more sceptical than in previous election years.

Over one in three (33%) have corrected or fact-checked someone close to them about misinformation, a trend particularly prevalent among younger generations. The report also highlights concerns about the negative influence of social media on political discourse (85%).

Dr. Marian-Andrei Rizoiu, Associate Professor at The University of Technology Sydney, comments: "Voters need to understand that even factually accurate content can be weaponised when presented selectively or out of context to trigger specific emotional responses".

In response to rising scepticism, Australians are actively adopting more rigorous news verification habits. Nearly 4 in 5 (77%) are making a conscious effort to fact-check political news, primarily by checking multiple news sources (59%) and assessing the credibility of news outlets (40%). Furthermore, the majority (86%) have changed their tech habits to avoid misinformation, including avoiding clickbait (41%) and relying on trusted news sources (36%).

For more information or to access the full Real Concerns Report 2025, click here.