Key stat: Over half (52%) of consumers in Australia, the UK, and the US are most concerned about brands posting AI-generated content without disclosure, tied with mishandling personal data as their top social media worry, according to Q3 data from Sprout Social.

Beyond the chart:

• Some 62.7% of marketers worldwide use AI to create social media posts, based on February data from Ahrefs.
• Only 28% of consumers in the US and Western Europe say they trust social media platforms, according to May data from Usercentrics.

Use this chart: Brands should treat transparency as a core pillar of their social media strategy. Clearly labeling AI-generated content and being upfront about how consumer data is used can help build trust in a climate of rising skepticism.

Related EMARKETER reports:

• US Social Network Ad Spending Forecast H1 2025 (EMARKETER subscription required)
• Gen Z Social Media Usage 2025 (EMARKETER subscription required)

Methodology: Data is from the September 2025 Sprout Social report titled "The State of Social Media in 2025: Data from Sprout's Latest Pulse Surveys." More than 2,000 consumers who followed at least five brands on social media were surveyed online during Q3 2025. The survey was conducted in Australia, the UK, and the US.