Expert Survey on the Global Information Environment 2025

The 2025 Expert Survey on the Global Information Environment reveals growing pessimism, with 72% of experts expecting the information environment to worsen. The report highlights a complex relationship with social media, where platforms are seen to increase polarization while promoting political participation. It also documents significant 'chilling effects' on researchers, with 73% reporting harassment, self-censorship, or funding fears. To safeguard epistemic security in the AI era, experts recommend clear labeling of AI-generated content and regular algorithmic audits.

• Expert pessimism regarding the global information environment has increased significantly, with 72% of respondents expecting it to worsen in 2025, compared to 54% in 2023. Three-quarters (75%) of experts identify the lack of platform accountability as the most severe global threat.
• Social media has contradictory effects on the information environment: 88% of experts believe it has increased polarization, yet 61% state it has promoted political participation. In contrast, 80% of respondents view search engines as having a positive impact on society.
• Researchers studying the information environment face substantial professional risks and 'chilling effects.' Overall, 73% of experts report experiencing harassment, intervention, or self-censorship. Specifically, 34% admit to self-censoring on social media due to career concerns, a figure that rises to 40% for experts in developing countries. Additionally, 23% fear the loss of research funding or report being doxed or harassed.
• There is a strong expert consensus on policy safeguards for the AI era. 60% of experts recommend that AI-generated content be clearly labeled, and 83% believe such labeling would improve the information environment. Furthermore, over two-thirds of experts support the regular auditing of algorithms to mitigate biases and promote a diversity of perspectives.

APA

Altay, S., Valenzuela, S., & Howard, P. N. (2025). Expert Survey on the Global Information Environment 2025. International Panel on the Information Environment. https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/643ecb10be528d2c1da863cb/69f47a4fcc6e5160630122df_Expert%20Survey%202025%20SPF%20Final%20English.pdf

Chicago

Altay, Sacha, Sebastián Valenzuela, and Philip N. Howard. Expert Survey on the Global Information Environment 2025. International Panel on the Information Environment, 2025. https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/643ecb10be528d2c1da863cb/69f47a4fcc6e5160630122df_Expert%20Survey%202025%20SPF%20Final%20English.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Altay |first1=Sacha |last2=Valenzuela |first2=Sebastián |last3=Howard |first3=Philip N. |title=Expert Survey on the Global Information Environment 2025 |publisher=International Panel on the Information Environment |date=2025 |url=https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/643ecb10be528d2c1da863cb/69f47a4fcc6e5160630122df_Expert%20Survey%202025%20SPF%20Final%20English.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{altay2025expert, author = {Altay, Sacha and Valenzuela, Sebastián and Howard, Philip N.}, title = {{Expert Survey on the Global Information Environment 2025}}, institution = {International Panel on the Information Environment}, year = {2025}, url = {https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/643ecb10be528d2c1da863cb/69f47a4fcc6e5160630122df_Expert%20Survey%202025%20SPF%20Final%20English.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }