Share of adults in the United States who believe users sharing misinformation about the coronavirus should be penalized by social media platforms as of July 2021
Characteristic
Share of respondents
Yes, those users should be temporarily suspended from the platform
41%
Yes, the users should be permanently banned from the platform
27%
No, those users should not be permanently banned or temporarily suspended from platform
20%
Don't know/no opinion
12%
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Original question: "Thinking about users who share false or misleading information about coronavirus, do you think they should be penalized by social media platforms, such as by being banned or temporarily suspended from the site? " Values may not sum up to 100 percent due to rounding
Citation formats
U.S. opinion on penalties for sharing COVID-19 misinformation on social media 2021
A July 2021 survey of online adults in the United States found that most than half of respondents felt that users sharing misinformation about the coronavirus should be penalized by social media platforms. In total, 41 percent of respondents were in favor of temporarily suspending users who shared false information regarding COVID-19 from social media platforms. In contrast, survey respondents were more likely to approve of a ban of those who originally posted coronavirus misinformation.
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Morning Consult. (July 29, 2021). Share of adults in the United States who believe users sharing misinformation about the coronavirus should be penalized by social media platforms as of July 2021 [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Retrieved July 31, 2026, from /statistics/1259072/usa-opinion-on-penalties-for-sharing-covid-19-misinformation-social/
Morning Consult. "Share of adults in the United States who believe users sharing misinformation about the coronavirus should be penalized by social media platforms as of July 2021." Chart. July 29, 2021. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. Accessed July 31, 2026. /statistics/1259072/usa-opinion-on-penalties-for-sharing-covid-19-misinformation-social/
Morning Consult. (2021). Share of adults in the United States who believe users sharing misinformation about the coronavirus should be penalized by social media platforms as of July 2021. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 31, 2026. /statistics/1259072/usa-opinion-on-penalties-for-sharing-covid-19-misinformation-social/
Morning Consult. "Share of Adults in The United States Who Believe Users Sharing Misinformation about The Coronavirus Should Be Penalized by Social Media Platforms as of July 2021." ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ Inc., 29 Jul 2021, /statistics/1259072/usa-opinion-on-penalties-for-sharing-covid-19-misinformation-social/
Morning Consult, Share of adults in the United States who believe users sharing misinformation about the coronavirus should be penalized by social media platforms as of July 2021 ÌÇÐÄÆƽâ°æ, /statistics/1259072/usa-opinion-on-penalties-for-sharing-covid-19-misinformation-social/ (last visited July 31, 2026)
Share of adults in the United States who believe users sharing misinformation about the coronavirus should be penalized by social media platforms as of July 2021 [Graph], Morning Consult, July 29, 2021. [Online]. Available: /statistics/1259072/usa-opinion-on-penalties-for-sharing-covid-19-misinformation-social/
