Nearly 60% of Americans have dropped a media outlet due to bias. Can trust in digital content be restored? To find out, we surveyed 1,000 Americans to uncover how misinformation is shaping public trust in search engines, the impact of media bias, and the effect of content driven by artificial intelligence (AI).
Our findings reveal how online users navigate an evolving digital world loaded with fake news and propaganda, and whether we can still separate fact from fiction.
Key Findings
- Half of Americans trust organic results more than paid results, with many citing “too many ads” as their top frustration when using search engines.
- 70% of Gen Z and 65% of millennials are skeptical of information they read online and often fact-check what they read.
- Nearly 6 in 10 Americans (59%) have cut ties with a media outlet over perceived bias — often after just one or two negative experiences, signaling a sharp decline in media trust.
- Only 12% of Americans fully trust search engine results, raising serious concerns about online credibility.
- Even among those who trust AI-generated results, 1 in 3 still feel the need to cross-check for accuracy, highlighting lingering skepticism toward AI-driven content.
- 90% of the US wants AI-generated content to be clearly labeled.
- Despite growing personalization options, 1 in 2 people still prefer a wider range of viewpoints in their search results and news feeds.
Google Reigns Supreme Among American Search Habits
One in two Americans rank Google as their top source for finding information. In fact, Google is the first choice of Americans throughout the nation, regardless of age or gender.
When it comes to second and third choices, however, younger and older Americans start to diverge. Here’s where people go when they're not relying on Google:
- Baby boomers: Facebook and traditional news sites;
- Gen X: YouTube and Facebook;
- Millennials: YouTube and Facebook.
- Gen Z: YouTube and Instagram.
These results are in line with Google’s market share (90% in 2024) and with its own internal data, which show that many young people use sites like TikTok and Instagram directly instead of Google Search.
Google may be the go-to search engine, but do people trust it? Here's each generation’s confidence in search accuracy and relevance:
- Baby boomers: 44%;
- Gen X: 55%;
- Millennials: 64%;
- Gen Z: 64%.
What Drives Clicks? Recognizable Brands
59% of Americans click results from brands they know, while less than one-third choose the top-ranked result. That means users are twice as likely to trust brand recognition over algorithms — perhaps a response to growing skepticism toward search engines.
Every generation is selective about where they click, but their reasons vary.
Baby boomers (50%) and Gen X (52%) are drawn to compelling headlines, while millennials (55%) and Gen Z (63%) favor high star ratings and positive reviews, showing that younger generations rely more on social proof when searching.
Men Trust Organic Search More — Women See Value in Paid Ads
Half of Americans trust organic search results the most, relying on Google's ranking algorithm to provide the best answers. Trust plummets when money is involved — only 5% feel the same about paid results labeled as ads.
While 46% of Americans trust both organic and paid search results equally, trust isn’t universal. More men (54%) favor organic results than women (44%), with half of women valuing both equally.
Generationally, skepticism runs highest among older Americans—only 41% of Boomers and 46% of Gen Xers prefer organic results, compared to 56% of Millennials and 57% of Gen Z.
Even still, over half of all Americans click on paid search results. This is exactly why the online advertising industry, which includes paid search ads, is expected to be worth $734.6 billion worldwide in 2025.
Where does this high figure come from? Paid search campaigns use cost-per-click pricing, so advertisers have to pay every single time someone clicks on their search result.
Search Engines Win the Trust Battle While Influencers Lag Behind
Americans trust online information, but not all sources are created equally. Perceptions of reliability vary depending on where that information is found.
Here’s how they rank the trustworthiness of information sources from most to least.
- Search engine results: 52%;
- Family and friends: 18%;
- Academic and research institutions: 13%;
- Traditional news media: 8%;
- Social media platforms: 6%;
- Online influencers: 3%.
Many people take a second step when measuring trustworthiness. They not only look at where they found the information and who recommended it but also at the type of content. For instance, Americans perceive research reports and academic journal articles, published on any platform, as the most trustworthy type of content. Traditional news content (on any platform) comes in second. Gen X is the only exception here, as they find news reports to be more trustworthy than academic articles.
Google has taken notice of people’s struggles to find trustworthy content and is working to measure information quality. It quantifies trustworthiness by scoring factors like site security, content creator expertise, reputation, and user experience. You can sum up these calculations with the acronym E-E-A-T, which stands for experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness.
Bias Runs Deeper on TV Than on Social Media
Bias is a major concern on social media, where algorithms create echo chambers, serving users content that reinforces their existing views instead of exposing them to diverse perspectives.
However, even with personalization, Americans still didn’t see social media as the most biased information source going. Here's which platforms Americans perceive as the most biased:
- Television news: 38%;
- Influencers and content creators: 27%;
- Social media: 17%;
- News websites: 11%;
- Print magazines and newspapers: 7%.
Regardless of what kind of platform, however, what do people do when they perceive a bias?
Bias drives people away: 59% of Americans have abandoned an information source over perceived bias. 40% cut ties immediately, while others needed multiple negative experiences before saying goodbye.
Older Americans are more likely to stick with untrustworthy sites, while younger generations are quicker to cut ties:
- Baby boomers: 11% keep using sites they don’t trust, while 20% gradually stop.
- Gen X: 9% continue using untrustworthy sites, and 15% gradually phase them out.
- Millennials: 4% keep using sites despite mistrust, and 23% give sites a chance before dropping them completely.
- Gen Z: Less than 1% continue using sites they don’t trust, though 25% wait to see improvement before cutting ties.
Gen Z is more patient with untrustworthy sources, giving them time to improve before cutting ties. However, once trust is broken, nearly all Gen Zers leave, compared to just 1 in 10 baby boomers who do the same.
Perceived Bias vs. False Reporting: The Two Biggest Reasons People Doubt a Source
So, what makes Americans lose trust in a website, media outlet, or influencer? As it turns out, there are several key credibility deal-breakers:
- Frequent inaccuracies or false reporting: 27%;
- Perceived bias or lack of objectivity: 25%;
- Sensationalist headlines or content: 19%;
- Corporate or political influence: 17%;
- Lack of transparency: 11%.
Generally, Americans of all ages share these concerns in equal measure. However, Gen X considers sensational headlines to be as big of a problem as bias (24% consider each to be their biggest concern).
Overwhelmed by News and Worried About Deepfakes
One in two Americans are overwhelmed by the relentless stream of news flowing their way. Most generations agree, with 57% of boomers and 59% of millennials and Gen Zers saying they’re overwhelmed.
Gen Xers are the only anomaly, with only 47% complaining about the problem. Perhaps they owe their tolerance to the fact that they grew up in the early days of the internet and have a unique understanding of both analog and digital worlds that other generations lack.
Fake news and deepfakes are a growing concern for Americans. 8 in 10 worry about the spread of misinformation, highlighting a growing distrust in digital content.
However, not all Americans are concerned about this, and geography seems to be a factor here. The threat of misinformation troubles 84% of Americans in the West, compared to only 70% of Midwesterners and 77% of Southerners.
Do We Double Check? Gen Z Leads the Pack in Fact-Checking
Fact-checking is crucial in the fight against misinformation — yet nearly half (45%) of users aren't doing it.
Again, this practice isn’t consistent among all Americans, and age plays a dramatic role when it comes to fact-checking. Here’s how the different generations stack up:
- Baby boomers: 40%;
- Gen X: 52%;
- Millennials: 65%;
- Gen Z: 70%.
The message is clear: the youth are truth seekers!
The more time you spend online, the greater the urge to fact-check. With more than 3 in 5 Gen Zers admitting to being online almost constantly, the need to verify has never been more vital.
The idea of fact-checking is all well and good, but what does that actually mean? Here are the steps internet users take to find truth in their content:
- Cross-check with multiple sources: 44%;
- Look for primary sources: 35%;
- Check for consistency with prior knowledge: 11%;
- Consult with trusted experts or authorities: 10%.
Gen Z prefers cross-checking, with a majority (53%) saying they use this method. 40% of boomers, 42% of Gen X, and 47% of millennials do the same, making it the most popular choice across all generations.
Americans don’t fact-check everything. 25% simply ignore fake news, while another 25% take the time to verify it. Others take action: 22% avoid similar sources, 10% share it as a warning, 9% report it, and just 6% engage to challenge its accuracy.
An additional 3% of Americans believe they haven’t encountered untrustworthy online content, and haven’t taken any of the above steps as a result.
Scrolling vs. Clicking: Young Users Leave Social Feeds for More Info — Boomers Stay Put
Social media users are making fact-checking their responsibility. 35% click external links to verify information. Still, many stay within their bubble: 24% rely only on user comments, another 24% assess content independently, and 17% never leave their platform.
Younger internet users are much more likely to fact-check beyond the source. More than 3 in 5 (63%) of Gen Zers and 61% of millennials seek external confirmation through comments or outside links, compared to just 25% of Gen Xers and 35% of baby boomers who rely solely on the original content.
Influencers vs. Friends? Why Gen Z Cares More About Who Posts It
With influencers and content creators engaging directly with their audiences, trust is shifting from platforms to individual influencers. This raises a key question: Do people trust the brands and platforms delivering content, or is the individual creator more trustworthy?
- 44% of people take a balanced approach, weighing the credibility of both content creators and platforms.
- 12% trust the individual regardless of the platform they use.
- 19% put more trust in the platform instead.
- 12% don’t follow specific individuals.
- 14% focus on the quality of the content itself, ignoring information about the creator and platform.
In a digitally social world, peer-to-peer interactions shape trust. Are people more likely to trust content shared by someone they know, or does a random discovery hold the same influence?
Surprisingly, personal recommendations aren’t that important.
- 16% of users trust information more when it’s recommended by someone they know.
- 20% actually trust the content less because they know the recommender’s biases.
- 20% say it depends on who’s sharing it.
- 44% wouldn’t form an opinion until they evaluate the content themselves.
Younger generations are more skeptical of content shared by people they know, while older generations are more willing to hold judgment.
- Baby boomers: Just 10% worry about bias, but 53% hold judgment until they review the content.
- Gen X: 18% worry about bias, with 42% forming their own opinions.
- Millennials: 29% distrust shared content, while 39% assess it independently.
- Gen Z: 26% trust shared content less due to bias, while 37% evaluate it themselves — but 20% are more likely to trust it, the highest of any generation.
This generational divide suggests younger users are both the most skeptical and the most divided on trusting personal recommendations.
The Rise of AI: Gen Z and Millennials Notice But Boomers Often Miss It
AI is on the rise. Can people tell when they come across AI content when searching online? As it turns out, 70% of Americans actually can, though only 33% think AI results are reliable.
That said, some Americans are better at identifying AI results than others. Here’s how many from each generation have noticed this new search trend:
- Baby boomers: 55%
- Gen X: 69%;
- Millennials: 82%;
- Gen Z: 81%.
Once again, younger, tech-savvy generations are the most knowledgeable in this area.
An estimated 57% of content online is already AI-generated. This means the ability to identify AI content is more important now than ever before.
ChatGPT vs. Google Results: Men More Willing to Trust AI — Women Remain Cautious
AI-generated results face skepticism. 46% of Americans either distrust or ignore them in favor of traditional search, while nearly 1 in 3 find them trustworthy, but still double-check for accuracy.
Less than 10% of Americans; 7%, completely trust AI. But there are significant gender differences at play here too.
Men are far more likely than women to trust AI-generated results. Nearly 1 in 2 men (46%) do so after cross-checking with traditional search, compared to only 30% of women.
When it comes to AI skepticism, men and women are closely aligned—30% and 34% don’t trust AI and prefer to stick with traditional search results.
Label It or Lose Trust
AI may be here to stay, but transparency matters. 71% of Americans want clear disclosure about its use, while only 11% see it as unnecessary.
Gen X and baby boomers see AI labeling as more urgent, with 40% saying it’s very important compared to just 29% of millennials and 30% of Gen Z. This may be a priority for older Americans who struggle more with identifying AI-generated content.
Curated or Varied? Americans Debate Personalization vs. Diverse Perspectives
Social feeds are personalized based on preferences, past searches, and viewing activity to capture users’ attention. Do Americans actually want this level of curation?
47% would actually prefer diverse viewpoints; only 28% want more personalized content.
The younger you are, the more likely you are to crave curated content:
- Baby boomers: 21%;
- Gen X: 29%;
- Millennials: 31%;
- Gen Z: 36%.
Men have a stronger preference for diverse content compared to women: 50% versus 44%. Meanwhile, 1 in 3 women say they have no preference, compared to less than 1 in 5 men.
Substack & Patreon: Gen Z Is Torn, Boomers Remain Unsure
Sites like Medium, Substack, and Patreon are avenues for independent content creators and startup publications to sell subscriptions. These platforms allow them to make money without being beholden to advertisers or controlled by the biases of editors.
But does this relatively new content business model translate into more trust and better content? It depends on who you ask.
- Baby boomers: 53% haven’t heard of them, only 5% trust them more, and 15% trust them less.
- Gen X: 33% are unfamiliar, 12% trust them more, but 15% trust them less.
- Millennials: Just 17% are unaware, 21% mistrust them, while 18% believe they inspire more trust.
- Gen Z: 22% are unfamiliar, with 20% distrusting them and 18% trusting them more.
These findings suggest that while younger generations are more aware of these emerging platforms, skepticism about their credibility is still high.
Trust in Search Engines Holds Steady While Media Trust Declines
Trust is fluid and evolves as quickly as the digital landscape does. Within the last year, Americans’ trust in various information sources has eroded — in some cases, drastically.
Increased
- Influencers: 15%;
- Traditional news media: 19%;
- AI-generated content: 16%;
- Search engines: 28%;
- User-generated content: 14%.
Decreased
- Influencers: 38%;
- Traditional news media: 34%;
- AI-generated content: 31%;
- Search engines: 27%;
- User-generated content: 23%.
Gen Z had a different experience compared to older generations. 26% of Gen Zers (twice the overall average) feel better about user-generated content than they did a year ago. In contrast, only 12% of baby boomers and 10% of Gen Xers trusted it more.
Despite dramatic headlines, trust in search engines seems to be relatively stable. Google absolutely dominates the search engine market — to the point that some authorities are concerned it’s a monopoly. At one point in 2024, the U.S. Justice Department considered breaking up the company for violating antitrust laws.
1 in 4 Americans perceive Google to be a monopoly with too much influence over what is visible online. 2 in 5 agree about Google’s dominance but believe there are enough alternatives to balance it out. A surprising 1 in 3 actually think Google’s clout is appropriate given its reach and performance.
Younger Americans are much more attuned to Google's influence. Many can even detect search result changes after an algorithm update:
- Baby boomers: 37% didn't notice at all, and 37% didn't see any significant changes.
- Gen X: 33% noticed no changes, while 30% saw a little difference.
- Millennials: 17% failed to notice, whereas 29% saw little impact.
- Gen Z: 10% were unaware, while 29% saw slight changes.
Perhaps younger users have a better understanding or awareness of the role that algorithms play in what you see online or are more perceptive of the ongoing changes these platforms tend to make.
As misinformation spreads and AI evolves, will Americans ever fully trust digital content again?
Methodology
For this survey, we gathered answers from 1,000 people across the country. They came from 49 states and Washington D.C. and represented four different generations: baby boomers, Gen X, millennials, and Gen Z.
While our questions focused on online information from search engines, social platforms, and media websites, we also included television news and print publications when relevant to ensure a full range of opinions about trustworthiness, media bias, and other factors.
We also asked questions about fact-checking, AI awareness, familiarity with Google’s search algorithm updates, and impressions of sites that use paywalls to gauge respondents' understanding of the nuances and economics of online media and their level of media literacy.
The inclusion of these details allowed us to get a more detailed picture of how technologies and recent trends affected people’s trust in the news and content they consume.
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