Bitkom study: Voters fear election manipulation via social media

88% of eligible voters fear that foreign governments will try to manipulate the upcoming federal election via social media. 45% assume that Russia could try to manipulate the election, closely followed by the USA (42%) and well ahead of China (26%). This is one of the findings of a survey of eligible voters conducted by the industry association Bitkom in the run-up to the upcoming federal election. Almost a third of those surveyed said they had already come across false reports about the election online.

For a good two thirds (69%) of eligible voters, the internet is an important source of information about the election. The news websites or apps of newspapers, editorial offices, TV, or radio are used by 63% of internet users to find out about the Bundestag elections. Social media and messenger services follow in second place with 51%.

Among social media users, 56% find out about the election on Facebook. X is used by 35 percent, WhatsApp by 32 percent, LinkedIn by 25 percent and Instagram by 18 percent. TikTok plays almost no role at all, with one percent. The study also shed light on why manipulation via social media is effective in the first place. Only 37% of respondents stated that they share information before sharing it via social media. Conversely, this means that 63% of social media users share information without checking it.

Traffic light digital policy: transfer at risk

Bitkom also asked participants to rate the digital policy of the traffic light coalition by school grade. On average, respondents gave the old federal government an unflattering 4.5 — and rightly so, according to Bitkom President Ralf Wintergerst. It had only completed around a third of the 334 digital policy projects it had set itself in this legislative period.

According to the survey, the digital policy positions of the parties are important for 36% of voters when making their election decision. The digitalization of schools and the fight against cybercrime are particularly pressing issues. To advance digitalization in Germany, 71% of voters call for the creation of an independent digital ministry. 79% believe that the new federal government should make digital policy one of its priorities.

The industry association has published the Bitkomat to guide voters on the topic of digital policy. Similar to the well-known Wahl-O-Mat – it helps – to compare their digital policy preferences with the respective positions of the parties represented in the Bundestag. The c't article “Setting the course” also analyzes the parties' digital policy agendas.

(jo)