Disinformation remains one of the most significant threats facing Western liberal democracies. It can distort public understanding of political events, deepen societal divisions, and undermine social cohesion. Its influence on electoral outcomes has been extensively documented. Yet democratic societies face a unique challenge: they must curb the spread of false information while safeguarding the fundamental right to free speech – a balance that has proven exceptionally difficult to strike.
This report examines how disinformation affects university students in the United Kingdom. Drawing on three distinct case studies – vaccination, the Southport stabbings, and Candace Owens’ claim that Brigitte Macron is a man – we assess the reach and impact of misleading narratives. To underpin our analysis, we conducted a small-scale poll of 500 British university students.
Our findings are clear: disinformation exerts a strong and worrying influence. For example, more than 60% of respondents reported that information they encountered online would make them hesitant to vaccinate their children. Should even half of them act on this hesitancy, the UK risks falling below the herd-immunity threshold, with serious public-health consequences. In response, this report outlines a series of policy recommendations designed to limit the spread and impact of disinformation while upholding the principles of free expression.
