By Maribel Velazquez
Although most Americans consider it essential to stay up to date on issues affecting the country, many admit that they do not have enough information on essential topics such as economy, health, immigration or electoral processes.
This is revealed by a recent survey of the Pew Review Center, which found a significant gap between the importance people assign to these issues and the level of knowledge they believe they have about them.
Information matters, but it does not always arrive
According to the study, 82% of Americans consider it very important to be informed about the health system, while the same proportion thinks the same regarding the electoral and voting processes. Additionally, 80% believe it is mandatory to understand the powers and limits of the president of the United States.
However, when asked how informed they feel, the numbers dropped considerably.
One of the clearest examples is that of the economy. Although three out of four adults consider it important to know economic and fiscal policies, only 24% say they feel very informed about the subject. Most admit to having only partial knowledge.
The survey also detected generational differences. Older adults are more likely to consider staying informed a civic responsibility, and they also tend to feel better prepared to understand current affairs than younger people.
Social networks are gaining ground among the youngest
The study points out that Americans turn to various sources for information depending on the topic.
Traditional media continue to be the main reference for issues such as foreign policy, immigration and citizenship. On issues related to Social Security or electoral processes, many people turn directly to government sources.
Social networks, on the other hand, have a much greater weight among young people. Pew highlights that this group uses digital platforms as one of their main ways to follow current eventsa trend that has been consolidated in recent years.
Politically, Democrats and Republicans largely agree on the importance of staying informed. Nevertheless, There are differences on some specific issues. For example, Democrats place more importance on knowing the limits of presidential power and childhood vaccination policies, while Republicans say they feel more informed about immigration, regulation of weapons and electoral processes.
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