Misinformation Remains Major Global Risk Through 2026, WEF Report Warns

Misinformation Ranks as Second Most Severe Short-Term Global Risk in WEF Report

The World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2026 has identified misinformation and disinformation as the second most pressing short-term global threat, behind only geoeconomic confrontation. The findings, published on January 14, 2026, place false and misleading information above numerous economic, environmental, and security-related risks in the near term.

The comprehensive assessment reflects input from over 1,300 global leaders and experts across academia, business, government, international organizations, and civil society who participated in the Global Risks Perception Survey. The report arrives just as world leaders and CEOs prepare to gather for their annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

According to the WEF analysis, misinformation and disinformation exist within a broader framework of largely unchecked technological risks. Recent advancements in artificial intelligence, automation, and digital platforms have democratized access to powerful tools capable of generating and amplifying false information at unprecedented scale.

The integrity of online information ecosystems continues to deteriorate as technology makes it increasingly difficult to distinguish between authentic content and synthetic material, including manipulated videos, audio recordings, and written texts. This challenge comes as social media platforms have fundamentally altered how people access and interpret information, gradually eroding reliance on traditional sources such as government institutions, academia, and mainstream media outlets.

“The report offers an early warning system as the age of competition compounds global risks, from geoeconomic confrontation to unchecked technology to rising debt, and changes our collective capacity to address them,” said Saadia Zahidi, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum. Despite the concerning findings, Zahidi expressed optimism: “None of these risks are a foregone conclusion. It is also clear that new forms of global cooperation are already unfolding even amid competition, and the global economy is demonstrating resilience in the face of uncertainty.”

The WEF report assesses global risks across three distinct timeframes: immediate term (2026), short-to-medium term (to 2028), and long term (to 2036). While misinformation and disinformation rank second in the short term, they fall to fourth place in the long-term outlook, where environmental concerns dominate the top positions.

In the 10-year horizon, extreme weather events top the list of global risks, followed by biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse, and critical changes to Earth systems. The persistence of misinformation in fourth place underscores its enduring significance even as other priorities shift.

The report comes at a critical juncture for global information integrity. The proliferation of sophisticated AI tools has accelerated the creation of deepfakes and other synthetic content that can be nearly indistinguishable from genuine material. Meanwhile, declining trust in institutions has created fertile ground for alternative narratives and conspiracy theories to flourish.

Technology companies have implemented various countermeasures to combat false information on their platforms, including content labeling, algorithmic adjustments, and partnerships with fact-checking organizations. However, these efforts have struggled to keep pace with evolving techniques for creating and disseminating misinformation.

The WEF’s annual Davos meeting will address these global challenges, with sessions dedicated to information integrity, technological governance, and international cooperation. The gathering represents an opportunity for world leaders to forge new frameworks for managing the information ecosystem while balancing innovation, free expression, and public safety.

The report’s ranking of misinformation as a top-tier global risk reflects growing recognition among world leaders that information disorder threatens not just public discourse but also economic stability, democratic processes, and international security. As digital technologies continue to evolve, the challenge of maintaining information integrity is likely to remain at the forefront of global concern.