The paperboys of Russian messaging: RT/Sputnik audiences as vehicles for malign information influence

Figures & data

Figure 1. RT/Sputnik consumption by age (%).

Figure 2. RT/Sputnik consumption by age and gender (%).

Figure 3. RT/Sputnik consumption by political party (%).

Table 1. Trust in politicians, institutions, news and journalism.

	Mean	Mean	Sig. (2-tailed)	t
How much or little do you trust the following …	Consume RT and/or Sputnik N: 212	Non-consumers N: 2821
Swedish Politicians in general	2.5	3.0	0.000	−6.278
The Police	3.7	4.0	0.000	−4.670
The Public Health Agency	3.6	4.0	0.000	−5.327
Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency	3.1	3.6	0.000	−5.037
Traditional Swedish media	3.0	3.6	0.000	−7.797
Swedish journalists in general	2.6	3.3	0.000	−8.990
Public Service	2.8	3.6	0.000	−8.618
RT	1.9	1.5	0.000	6.406
Sputnik	2.0	1.6	0.000	5.564
Swedish Alternative Media	2.4	1.8	0.000	7.884

Notes: The response alternatives were: 5, Very much; 4, Rather much; 3, Neither much or little; 2, Rather little; 1, Very little. The results were rounded to 1 decimal place.

Table 2. Sharing behavior.

	Mean	Mean	Sig. (2-tailed)	t
	Consume RT and/or Sputnik N: 212	Non-consumers N: 2821
Does it occur that you share news from the following media on your social media network (for example Facebook, twitter)?
Traditional Swedish media	3.0	3.2	0.005	−2.799
Traditional foreign media (CNN, BBC, Sky News)	3.3	3.7	0.000	−9.269
Swedish alternative Media	3.5	3.9	0.000	−10.393
Sputnik	3.9	4.0	0.000	−7.941
RT	3.8	4.0	0.000	−10.164
Does it occur that you discuss news from the following media outlets with family and friends/acquaintances?
Traditional Swedish media	1.8	1.8	0.524	0.600
Traditional foreign media (CNN, BBC, Sky News)	2.5	3.1	0.000	−9.291
Swedish alternative Media	2.9	3.6	0.000	−13.452
Sputnik	3.7	4.0	0.000	−15.982
RT	3.5	4.0	0.000	−22.325

Notes: The response alternatives were 1, Always/often; 2, Sometimes; 3, Rarely; 4, Never. The results were rounded to 1 decimal place.

Table 3. Trust in news and sharing of unreliable news.

	Mean	Mean	Sig. (2-tailed)	t
	Consume RT and/or Sputnik N: 212	Non-consumers N: 2821
To what extent do you agree on the following statements?
I do not trust any news	2.4	2.1	0.000	4.363
It occurs that I share news without knowing the origins of the facts	1.6	1.4	0.002	3.101
It occurs that I share news even though I suspect that they might not be entirely true/correct	1.4	1.2	0.004	2.912

Notes: The response alternatives were: 5, Very much; 4, Rather much; 3 Neither much nor little; 2, Rather little; 1, Very little. The results were rounded to 1 decimal place.

Figure 4 Reasons for consuming RT/Sputnik.

Table 4. Alignment with RT/Sputnik messaging: Identity grievance.

	Mean	Mean	Sig. (2-tailed)	t
To what extent do you agree on the following statements on Sweden?	Consume RT and/or Sputnik N: 212	Non-consumers N:2821
Sweden has gone too far with regard to feminist politics	3.5	2.6	0.000	7.878
Sweden should do more to promote LBGTQ issues	2.8	3.3	0.000	−5.614
Sweden should do more to promote traditional values and traditions	3.7	3.3	0.000	4.929
Sweden has gone too far in promoting multiculturalism	3.8	3.2	0.000	5.468
Liberalism has gone too far in Sweden	3.8	3.2	0.000	4.500
Sweden is heading in the wrong direction	3.8	3.4	0.000	4.789
Swedish politicians have lost control of societal development	3.9	3.4	0.000	4.711
Sweden is not capable of handling the negative consequences of immigration during recent years	4.1	3.8	0.008	2.647
Many of Sweden’s current problems, such as crime, have worsened due to a high level of immigration	4.0	3.6	0.000	3.541
Immigration is essentially an asset for Sweden	2.7	3.2	0.000	−5.112
The societal debate in Sweden is open and welcoming for people of different opinions	2.6	3.1	0.000	−5.325
Sweden is polarized, divided, in groups with big differences of opinion	4.0	3.8	0.002	3.030
Followers of different religions in Sweden often end up in conflict with one another	3.7	3.5	0.007	2.717
Swedish politicians are not capable of keeping the country together	3.8	3.4	0.000	4.059

The response alternatives were 5, Agree completely; 4, Partly agree; 3, Neither agree nor disagree; 2, Partly disagree; 1, Completely disagree. The results were rounded to 1 decimal place.

Table 5. Alignment with RT/Sputnik messaging: National security.

	Mean	Mean	Sig. (2-tailed)	t
To what extent do you agree on the following statements on Sweden?	Consume RT and/or Sputnik N: 212	Non-consumers N: 2821
Sweden exaggerates the threat from Russia	2.7	2.5	0.014	2.455
Sweden is unnecessarily critical of Russia	2.4	2.2	0.024	2.263
Sweden has difficulties cooperating with other countries	2.6	2.2	0.000	5.468
The Swedish Armed Forces work poorly	3.1	3.0	0.044	2.014
The Swedish Armed Forces should not participate in the Pride Parade	3.3	2.6	0.000	5.868
The Swedish Armed Forces focuses too much on gender issues	3.5	2.7	0.000	8.017
The Swedish Armed Forces engage in the wrong things	3.0	2.7	0.002	3.086
Sweden should have a strong military defense	4.0	3.8	0.016	2.417
More people should do military service	4.1	4.0	0.038	2.078

Notes: The response alternatives were 5, Agree completely; 4, Partly agree; 3, Neither agree nor disagree; 2, Partly disagree; 1, Completely disagree. The results were rounded to 1 decimal place.

Table A1. Age and gender: statistically significant differences users/non-users.

	RT/Sputnik users	Non-users	Significance level	Chi-Square test	Target group coverage (users within group)	Total coverage (non-users within group)
Man	73.4	48.5	100%	48.8	10.2	89.8
Woman	26.6	51.5	100%	–48.8	3.7	96.3
Age 18–29	36.2	18.0	100%	41.8	13.1	86.9
Age 50–64	12.5	24.0	100%	–14.7	3.8	96.2
Age 80–89	2.4	5.7	95.5%	–4.0	3.1	96.9
Man Age 18–29	32.0	14.2	100%	47.8	14.5	85.5
Man Age 50–64	10.1	17.7	99.5%	–8.1	4.1	95.9
Woman Age 18–29	9.0	15.1	98.5%	–5.9	4.3	95.7
Woman Age 30–49	12.7	22.3	99.9%	10.8	4.1	95.9
Woman Age 50–64	7.3	17.6	100%	–15.1	3.0	97.0
Woman Age 65–79	6.1	15.8	100%	–14.4	2.8	97.2

Table A2. Political party: statistically significant differences users/non-users.

	RT/Sputnik users	Non-users	Significance level	Chi-Square test	Target group coverage (users within group)	Total coverage (non-users within group)
What party did you vote for in the election of 2018?
Sweden Democrats	28.3	14.2	100%	30.6	13.1	86.9
Moderates	11.9	17.5	99.6%	–4.5	4.8	95.2
Other Party	4.9	0.7	100%	37.7	36.0	64.0
Was too young at that time	8.9	3.5	100%	15.3	16.0	84.0
Did not vote	5.3	2.0	99.9%	10.1	16.7	83.3
Do not want to tell	0.4	2.9	96.5	–4.4	1.1	98.9
Social Democrats	16.3	25.0	99.6	–8.1	4.7	95.3