Why Germany Is Better at Resisting Fake News

Modern-day elections are increasingly defined by two sides: those who trust traditional media and those who rely on the social networks to provide an alternative, which is far more likely to deliver fake news. While in the U.S., the nature of the conflict is clouded by the social media's prevalence, Germany is an example of a society where the battle lines are clearly drawn.

Multiple studies in the U.S. have shown that Democrats trust traditional media more than Republicans do, which makes sense. But so much of media consumption goes through the social networks that it's almost pointless to ask which party trusts it more. According to a June 2017 IPSOS poll, Democrats outmatched Republicans on social media trust:

(According to the same poll, Facebook is the biggest news source for Democrats and the second biggest for Republicans, after broadcast TV.)