By Enock Sithole
A new major international survey by the International Panel on the Information Environment (IPIE) has spotlighted mounting pessimism among researchers about the health of the world’s information environment. According to the report titled “Trends in the Information Environment: 2025 Expert Survey Results”, the majority of respondents now believe things are getting worse, faster than ever before.
The survey of 438 researchers from 76 countries, taken in June 2025, reveals stark increases in concern. A full 72 % of respondents expect the information environment to deteriorate over the coming year—an increase of nine percentage points from 2024 and 18 points versus 2023.
Experts attribute the shift in outlook to a convergence of growing threats: misinformation, platform power concentration, AI-driven recommendation systems, and shrinking diversity of voices. According to the study, 75 % of experts regard the lack of accountability of major platforms as a “major threat” to the information ecosystem.
Platform power and polarisation
One of the report’s key findings is the intensified scrutiny of social media platforms. Many researchers believe that social media has exacerbated political polarisation—even as it can foster participation and civic engagement. “Social media has made problems like polarization worse, while promoting political participation and other positive outcomes,” the report states.
In contrast, search engines receive more favourable assessments. A large majority of experts consider search engines to have had positive effects on the information environment, especially when compared with recommender systems, social media at large and emerging AI-driven systems.
One striking dimension of the findings: the dominance of large private media and technology companies is widely viewed as the main barrier to the presence of diverse voices in the information environment. The concentration of ownership and algorithmic control appears to be a major concern for researchers worldwide.
The “information environment” refers broadly to the mix of communication channels, media platforms, algorithms, social networks and the wider ecosystem that shapes how people receive, interpret and act on information. IPIE’s report argues that when that environment deteriorates—through bias, manipulation, lack of accountability—it poses risks not only to media and democracy, but also to public health, societal cohesion and individual rights.
Given the global scale of the survey—76 countries and hundreds of researchers—the findings suggest the problems are not localized but systemic. The research community’s growing pessimism signals a call to action for policymakers, tech companies, civil society and academia.
Key findings in brief
Some of the central metrics of the survey include:
- 72 % of experts expect the information environment to worsen in the coming year.
- 75 % of experts identify the lack of platform accountability as a major threat.
- A clear contrast: fewer experts give positive marks to social media and recommender systems than to search engines.
- On media ownership: the dominance of large private media companies is seen as the greatest barrier to voice diversity.
Together, these findings paint a picture of an information landscape under pressure, with experts expressing less confidence than ever before.
Dr. Sacha Altay, one of the editors of the report, notes: “Our survey shows that researchers worldwide are increasingly worried—not simply about misinformation, but about the structural conditions that allow it to thrive: opaque algorithms, concentrated ownership, and weak accountability.”
Another contributor, Dr. P. N. Howard, adds: “The fact that search engines still receive somewhat positive assessments suggests that the technology is not inherently the issue—it’s how it’s governed and embedded in society that determines its impact.”
Recommendations and next steps
The report goes beyond diagnosis to suggest areas for action. Among its recommendations:
- Strengthening platform accountability through regulatory frameworks and transparency mechanisms.
- Diversifying media and platform ownership to prevent concentration of power.
- Supporting research and infrastructure around public interest search and non-commercial platforms.
- Encouraging cross-disciplinary collaboration between information science, policy, computer science and civil society to monitor and shape the evolving information environment.
- Investing in digital literacy education to help users navigate complex information contexts and recognize algorithmic and platform-driven dynamics.
Watch points for stakeholders
For policymakers: The data underscore the urgency of updating media, competition and technology regulation to reflect the realities of algorithmic amplification, content moderation and platform governance.
For tech companies: The findings signal that researchers view existing platforms as part of the problem. Firms will face increasing pressure—regulatory, public, institutional—to demonstrate accountability, transparency and platform humility.
For educators and civil society: The rapidly shifting information environment demands that citizens, especially younger generations, develop not just media literacy but “system literacy”—an understanding of how algorithms, platforms and networks shape information flows.
The IPIE’s 2025 Expert Survey represents a compelling moment of reckoning for the global information environment. When nearly three-quarters of expert respondents expect the environment to worsen, it serves as an alarm bell—not only for researchers but for every participant in the global communications ecosystem.
As the report concludes, the path forward is not simply about combating disinformation: it is fundamentally about shaping the structures and systems through which information reaches people. In an era dominated by platform power and algorithmic design, the health of our information environment may well determine the resilience of our societies in the years ahead.
Download the full report here: IPIE Trends in the Information Environment: 2025 Expert Survey Results