Social media is trusted by less than a quarter of the UK population (24 per cent) with a majority of the public also backing tougher regulation for social networks, a new study has found.

According to Edelman’s UK Trust Barometer Supplement survey, low trust in social media is “driven by a sense of inaction around important issues”.

“Some 70 per cent of Britons believe that social media companies do not do enough to prevent illegal or unethical behaviours on their platforms,” the study said.