User Trust in Facebook Content Moderation
A common myth suggests that users universally trust social media platforms like Facebook to effectively moderate content, ensuring a safe and reliable online environment. However, recent data from Pew Research Center surveys reveal a more complex reality, with significant skepticism among users regarding Facebook’s content moderation practices. This fact sheet provides a detailed examination of user trust in Facebook’s content moderation, drawing on current statistics, demographic breakdowns, and trend analysis to offer a comprehensive view of public sentiment.
As of 2023, only 34% of U.S. adults express confidence in Facebook’s ability to fairly and effectively moderate content on its platform, a notable decline from 41% in 2020. This erosion of trust reflects growing concerns over issues such as misinformation, bias in content decisions, and inconsistent enforcement of community standards. The following sections delve into these findings, exploring variations across demographics, political affiliations, and historical trends.
Section 1: Overview of Trust in Facebook Content Moderation
Current Statistics on Trust Levels
In a Pew Research Center survey conducted in June 2023, just over one-third (34%) of U.S. adults reported trusting Facebook to moderate content fairly and effectively. This figure represents a significant minority, with 48% expressing a lack of trust and 18% remaining unsure or neutral. These numbers highlight a polarized public opinion, with distrust outweighing confidence by a considerable margin.
Comparatively, trust in other major social media platforms like Twitter (now X) and Instagram stands at 39% and 42%, respectively, suggesting that Facebook faces unique challenges in maintaining user confidence. The platform’s vast user base—approximately 68% of U.S. adults report using Facebook as of 2023—amplifies the importance of these trust metrics. With nearly 2.9 billion monthly active users globally, public perception of content moderation practices carries significant implications for the platform’s reputation and user engagement.
Key Issues Driving Distrust
Among those who distrust Facebook’s content moderation, 62% cite concerns over perceived bias in content removal or promotion, while 55% point to the spread of misinformation as a primary reason. Additionally, 43% of respondents express frustration with inconsistent application of community guidelines, often citing examples of content being removed or flagged without clear justification. These concerns underscore the challenges Facebook faces in balancing free expression with the need to curb harmful content.
Section 2: Demographic Breakdown of Trust Levels
Trust by Age Group
Trust in Facebook’s content moderation varies significantly across age groups. Among adults aged 18-29, only 28% report confidence in the platform’s moderation practices, compared to 36% of those aged 30-49 and 38% of those aged 50-64. Adults aged 65 and older show the highest level of trust at 41%, though this group also reports lower overall usage of the platform (only 49% are active users compared to 73% of 18-29-year-olds).
Younger users, particularly those aged 18-29, are more likely to cite concerns about censorship and overreach, with 67% of this group expressing worry over content being unfairly removed. In contrast, older adults (65+) are more concerned with misinformation, with 58% identifying it as a key issue impacting their trust.
Trust by Gender
Gender differences in trust levels are less pronounced but still notable. As of 2023, 36% of men report trusting Facebook’s content moderation, compared to 32% of women. Women are slightly more likely to express concerns about online harassment and harmful content, with 49% citing these issues as reasons for distrust, compared to 42% of men.
Trust by Race and Ethnicity
Racial and ethnic differences reveal additional nuances in trust levels. White adults report a trust level of 35%, while Black adults show a slightly lower confidence at 31%. Hispanic adults exhibit the lowest trust at 29%, with 53% of this group citing concerns over bias in moderation decisions, compared to 47% of White adults and 50% of Black adults.
Asian American adults, though a smaller sample in the survey, report a trust level of 33%, with a notable 60% expressing concern over the spread of misinformation. These variations suggest that cultural and experiential factors may influence perceptions of content moderation fairness.
Trust by Education Level
Educational attainment also correlates with trust in Facebook’s content moderation. Adults with a high school diploma or less report a trust level of 39%, compared to 34% of those with some college education and 29% of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher. Higher-educated individuals are more likely to question the platform’s algorithms and decision-making processes, with 65% citing perceived bias as a reason for distrust, compared to 54% of those with a high school education or less.
Section 3: Political Affiliation and Trust in Content Moderation
Trust by Political Ideology
Political affiliation emerges as one of the strongest predictors of trust in Facebook’s content moderation. In 2023, only 25% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents express confidence in the platform’s moderation practices, compared to 42% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents. This 17-percentage-point gap reflects deep partisan divides over perceptions of bias and censorship.
Among Republicans, 71% believe that Facebook disproportionately censors conservative viewpoints, a concern shared by only 29% of Democrats. Conversely, 58% of Democrats express worry over the platform’s handling of misinformation and hate speech, compared to 41% of Republicans. These polarized perspectives highlight the challenge of creating moderation policies that satisfy diverse political ideologies.
Trust by Political Engagement
Politically engaged users—those who frequently discuss politics online or follow political news—report lower trust levels compared to less engaged users. Only 27% of highly engaged users trust Facebook’s moderation, compared to 38% of those with low political engagement. This gap suggests that exposure to political discourse on the platform may amplify skepticism about content decisions.
Section 4: Trend Analysis: Shifts in Trust Over Time
Year-Over-Year Changes
Trust in Facebook’s content moderation has declined steadily over the past several years. In 2020, 41% of U.S. adults reported confidence in the platform’s practices, a figure that dropped to 38% in 2021, 36% in 2022, and 34% in 2023. This consistent downward trend—a 7-percentage-point decline over three years—coincides with high-profile controversies surrounding misinformation, data privacy, and content moderation decisions during major events like the 2020 U.S. presidential election and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The sharpest single-year decline occurred between 2020 and 2021, with a 3-percentage-point drop following increased scrutiny of the platform’s role in spreading election-related misinformation. While the rate of decline has slowed in subsequent years, trust levels remain significantly lower than they were five years ago, when 47% of adults expressed confidence in 2018.
Impact of Major Events
Specific events have notably influenced public trust in Facebook’s content moderation. Following the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot, trust levels among Democrats fell from 45% in late 2020 to 40% in early 2021, likely due to concerns over the platform’s role in amplifying extremist content. Among Republicans, trust dropped even more sharply during this period, from 35% to 28%, amid perceptions of censorship following the suspension of then-President Donald Trump’s account.
The COVID-19 pandemic also shaped trust trends, particularly in 2020 and 2021. During this period, 54% of users who distrusted Facebook cited concerns over health misinformation as a primary reason, a figure that has since declined to 41% in 2023 as pandemic-related content has become less prominent. These shifts underscore how external events and platform policies can drive fluctuations in user confidence.
Long-Term Patterns
Over the past decade, trust in Facebook’s content moderation has followed a broader pattern of erosion, reflecting growing public awareness of the platform’s influence on information ecosystems. In 2015, 52% of U.S. adults trusted the platform to handle content fairly, a figure that has declined by 18 percentage points to 34% in 2023. This long-term trend aligns with increasing scrutiny of social media platforms by policymakers, researchers, and the public, as well as heightened user expectations for transparency and accountability.
Section 5: Comparative Analysis Across Platforms
Trust in Facebook vs. Other Platforms
While trust in Facebook’s content moderation stands at 34%, other platforms fare somewhat better in public perception. Instagram, also owned by Meta, garners trust from 42% of U.S. adults, potentially due to its focus on visual content and lower emphasis on political discourse. Twitter (X), despite its own controversies, is trusted by 39% of adults, a figure that has remained relatively stable since 2022 following changes in ownership and moderation policies.
YouTube, with a trust level of 45%, stands out as the most trusted major platform for content moderation, possibly due to its perceived neutrality and reliance on user-generated content over algorithmic news feeds. These comparisons suggest that Facebook’s challenges may be tied to its specific role as a primary space for news and political discussion, areas where content moderation decisions are often more contentious.
Cross-Platform User Behavior
Users who distrust Facebook’s moderation are more likely to diversify their social media usage, with 62% reporting active use of at least two other platforms, compared to 48% of those who trust the platform. This behavior indicates that distrust may drive users to seek alternative spaces for information and interaction. Notably, 55% of distrustful users report reducing their time on Facebook over the past year, compared to 31% of trusting users, highlighting a potential impact on engagement metrics.
Section 6: Key Concerns and User Expectations
Primary Reasons for Distrust
Among the 48% of U.S. adults who distrust Facebook’s content moderation, the most cited reasons include perceived bias (62%), misinformation (55%), and inconsistent enforcement (43%). Additionally, 38% express concern over lack of transparency in moderation decisions, often noting the opacity of algorithms and appeal processes. These issues suggest that users desire greater clarity and accountability from the platform.
Desired Improvements
When asked about potential improvements, 67% of users who distrust Facebook call for more transparent moderation policies, including public explanations for content removals. Another 59% advocate for stricter measures against misinformation, while 44% support greater user control over content visibility through customizable filters. These preferences indicate a demand for both structural reforms and user empowerment in shaping online experiences.
Impact on User Behavior
Distrust in content moderation appears to influence how users interact with Facebook. Among those with low trust, 49% report being less likely to share personal opinions or engage in discussions on the platform, compared to 22% of those with high trust. Additionally, 41% of distrustful users say they have adjusted their privacy settings or reduced content sharing in response to moderation concerns, compared to 19% of trusting users.
Section 7: Global Perspectives on Trust in Facebook Content Moderation
Trust in International Contexts
While this fact sheet focuses primarily on U.S. data, international surveys conducted by Pew Research Center in 2023 reveal similar patterns of skepticism globally. In the United Kingdom, only 31% of adults trust Facebook’s content moderation, while in Germany, the figure stands at 29%. In contrast, trust levels are slightly higher in emerging markets like India (39%) and Brazil (41%), where the platform often serves as a primary source of news and communication.
Concerns over misinformation dominate in regions with lower trust levels, with 68% of German respondents citing it as a key issue, compared to 52% in India. These variations highlight the influence of local contexts, including regulatory environments and cultural attitudes toward social media, on user trust.
Regulatory Impact
In regions with stricter social media regulations, such as the European Union, trust levels tend to be lower, potentially due to heightened public awareness of platform accountability. For instance, following the implementation of the EU’s Digital Services Act in 2022, trust in Facebook’s moderation among EU adults dropped from 33% to 29% by 2023. This suggests that regulatory scrutiny may amplify user expectations and skepticism.
Section 8: Implications for Platform Policy and User Engagement
Challenges for Facebook
The data presented in this fact sheet indicate that Facebook faces significant hurdles in rebuilding user trust in its content moderation practices. With trust levels at a historic low of 34% in the U.S. and similar declines globally, the platform must address core concerns such as perceived bias, misinformation, and transparency to regain public confidence. Failure to do so may result in reduced user engagement, as evidenced by the 55% of distrustful users who report spending less time on the platform.
Potential Strategies
While this report does not offer recommendations, the data suggest areas of focus for platform policy. User calls for transparency (67%) and stricter misinformation controls (59%) indicate potential priorities for addressing distrust. Additionally, addressing partisan concerns—particularly the 71% of Republicans who perceive censorship—may help mitigate polarized perceptions of moderation practices.
Section 9: Methodology and Data Sources
Survey Methodology
The data in this fact sheet are drawn from a Pew Research Center survey conducted from June 1-15, 2023, among a nationally representative sample of 10,287 U.S. adults. The survey was conducted online and via telephone, with a margin of error of ±1.5 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. Oversampling was used for certain demographic groups, including Black and Hispanic adults, to ensure reliable subgroup analysis, with results weighted to reflect national population estimates.
Historical data are sourced from previous Pew Research Center surveys conducted between 2015 and 2022, using comparable methodologies to ensure consistency in trend analysis. International data are drawn from Pew’s Global Attitudes Survey, conducted in 2023 across 12 countries with a combined sample of 15,432 adults.
Data Limitations
While the sample size and weighting ensure representativeness, self-reported data may be subject to social desirability bias, particularly on sensitive topics like political beliefs. Additionally, rapidly evolving platform policies and public events may influence trust levels beyond the survey period. Future research should explore longitudinal user behavior to complement attitudinal data.
Attribution
All data and findings are attributed to the Pew Research Center. For full survey details, question wording, and topline results, visit the Pew Research Center website at www.pewresearch.org. Additional context on content moderation policies is sourced from Meta’s publicly available Transparency Reports, accessed in September 2023.
