Greece recorded the lowest rate of exposure to misinformation online in the European Union (EU) in 2025, according to Eurostat data, even as more than half of people across the bloc reported encountering such content.
Greece’s rate stood at 32.4%, well below the EU figure of 55.9%. Eurostat’s indicator covers people aged 16 to 74 who reported seeing untrue or doubtful information on internet news sites or social media during the previous three months.
Greece stands at the bottom of the EU ranking
No other EU country recorded a rate as low as Greece. Italy had the second-lowest share at 43%, followed by Romania at 44.4% and Bulgaria at 45.5%. At the opposite end of the ranking, Ireland recorded the highest share at 82.8%. The Netherlands followed at 77%, Denmark at 75.7%, Sweden at 71.5% and Finland at 69.5%.
Greece’s low reported exposure comes as the country’s information habits are changing. A 2025 Eurobarometer survey found that social media had overtaken television as the main source of information in Greece, with 56% of respondents using social platforms for political and social current affairs.
The finding does not mean Greece necessarily has the least misinformation online in the EU. The Eurostat figures do not measure how much false information actually circulates in each country. They measure the share of people who reported encountering material they considered untrue or doubtful. Differences can therefore reflect both internet habits and how users recognize questionable content.
AI complicates the online information landscape
Eurostat’s indicator does not identify whether the questionable material was created with artificial intelligence. However, the findings come as the use of generative AI expands across Europe. The EU has also introduced the Artificial Intelligence Act, creating a broad legal framework for AI systems.
Separate Eurostat data show that 32.7% of people ages 16 to 74 in the EU used generative AI tools in 2025. Among people ages 16 to 24, the share reached 63.8%.
55.9% of Europeans in 2025 encountered false or doubtful information on the internet.
Fake news getting harder and harder to spot, in particular because of AI-generated content.
Learn more about how to find information you can trust: https://t.co/55DrwuNea6@EU_Eurostat pic.twitter.com/sA9ff80hJp
— Digital EU 🇪🇺 (@DigitalEU) August 19, 2026
Greece presents a notable contrast: Despite recording the EU’s lowest reported exposure to doubtful online information, it had particularly high AI use among young people. Eurostat data show 83.5% of Greeks aged 16 to 24 reported using generative AI.
Generative AI can quickly produce realistic text, images and audio, making the origin of digital material increasingly important. Concerns over transparency have already surfaced in prominent cases.
The British Museum faced criticism over AI-generated social media images after questions arose over whether viewers were clearly told that a person shown in the posts was not real.
Low exposure does not measure misinformation levels
Eurostat’s annual survey on information and communication technology use provides data on internet access and online activity among people ages 16 to 74.
Greece’s position at the bottom of the ranking should therefore be read as the EU’s lowest rate of reported exposure to questionable information, rather than proof that the country has the lowest amount of misinformation online.
As AI-generated material becomes more common, checking the source and comparing claims with reliable evidence are becoming increasingly important parts of navigating information online.
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