2021 EDELMAN TRUST BAROMETER 1. News engagement (does one or more of these several times a week or more) • “Read, view or listen to news and information produced by major news organizations or HOW WE MEASURED publications at the original source” MED_SEG_OFTr1 • “Read news and information from major news organizations sent to me by others or pushed to INFORMATION HYGIENE me on a news feed, social network platform or application” MED_SEG_OFTr2 • “Read, view or listen to news and information put out by major corporations regarding important To determine whether respondents practiced good social and political issues and events” MED_SEG_OFTr16 information hygiene, we measured four dimensions: • “Listen to podcasts or read newsletters or blog posts put out by independent individuals whom I 1. Regular engagement with news: Do they stay informed? trust to keep me informed about important issues, but who do not work for a news media company”MED_SEG_OFTr17 2. Engagement with differing points of view: Do they avoid information echo chambers? 2. Avoiding information echo chambers (must say they do one or more of these) 3. Information verification: Do they avoid assuming something • “How often do you read or listen to information or points of view from people, media sources or is true simply because it supports their point of view? organizations with whom you often disagree?” NEWS_DIS (weekly or more) 4. Avoids spreading misinformation: Do they check information • “When someone you know sends you some information that supports a position that you do veracity before forwarding content to others? NOT believe, which of the following do you typically do with it?” POS_DIS (study thoroughly) 3. Verify information (must say they do two or more of these) Each respondent’s level of information hygiene was • “Confirm that a news story is really true by looking across multiple information sources” categorized based on their performance across the four MED_SEG_OFTr15 (several times a week or more) dimensions: • “When someone you know sends you some information that supports a position you believe, • Good: Performs well on three or more dimensions which of the following do you typically do with it?” POS_BEL (use fact-checking sites and/or verify from people I know and/or go to original source material) • Moderate: Performs well on any two dimensions • Poor: Performs well on one or fewer dimensions 4. Do not amplify unvetted information (must never do this) • “Pass on news and information to others without first checking its accuracy or the integrity of the source” MED_SEG_OFTr18 37