Expert Survey on the Global Information Environment 2024: Searching for Solutions

The 2024 IPIE expert survey of 412 researchers across 66 countries identifies the availability of accurate information and diversity of voices as the primary features of a healthy information environment. Social media platform owners, governments, and politicians are cited as the most significant threats. While generative AI is viewed as a tool that could potentially improve content detection and journalism, 63% of experts express significant concern regarding its potential to amplify misinformation, harassment, and bias. Experts in developing countries report higher levels of concern regarding AI and platform-based threats but show greater optimism toward interventions like fact-checking and media literacy.

• Experts identify the availability of accurate information as the most critical element of a healthy information environment, followed by diversity of voices and diversity of media ownership.
• A strong majority of surveyed experts support the promotion of free and independent media as a primary method for improving the information environment.
• The owners of social media platforms are perceived as the greatest threat to the information environment, with local and foreign governments, politicians, and political parties also ranked as high-level threats.
• Generative AI is viewed with significant apprehension, particularly regarding its ability to scale misinformation and perpetuate bias, though some experts see potential benefits for journalism and content detection.
• There is a geographic divide in perceptions: experts in developing countries are more concerned about the negative impacts of generative AI and specific actors like politicians and platform owners, yet they are more optimistic about the efficacy of fact-checking and media literacy.

APA

Altay, S., Valenzuela, S., & Howard, P. (2024). Expert Survey on the Global Information Environment 2024: Searching for Solutions. International Panel on the Information Environment. https://www.ipie.info/research/sfp2024-1

Chicago

Altay, Sacha, Sebastián Valenzuela, and Philip Howard. Expert Survey on the Global Information Environment 2024: Searching for Solutions. International Panel on the Information Environment, 2024. https://www.ipie.info/research/sfp2024-1.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Altay |first1=Sacha |last2=Valenzuela |first2=Sebastián |last3=Howard |first3=Philip |title=Expert Survey on the Global Information Environment 2024: Searching for Solutions |publisher=International Panel on the Information Environment |date=2024 |url=https://www.ipie.info/research/sfp2024-1 |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{altay2024expert, author = {Altay, Sacha and Valenzuela, Sebastián and Howard, Philip}, title = {{Expert Survey on the Global Information Environment 2024: Searching for Solutions}}, institution = {International Panel on the Information Environment}, year = {2024}, url = {https://www.ipie.info/research/sfp2024-1}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }