After a year of unprecedented disaster and turbulence – the Covid-19 pandemic and economic crisis, the global outcry over systemic racism and political instability – the 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer reveals an epidemic of misinformation and widespread mistrust of societal institutions and leaders around the world. Adding to this is a failing trust ecosystem unable to confront the rampant infodemic, leaving the four institutions – business, government, NGOs and media – in an environment of information bankruptcy and a mandate to rebuild trust and chart a new path forward.
In this online survey of 33,000+ respondents across 28 countries, Edelman found that:
- Only 59% of respondents said they trust businesses to do the right thing; 57% felt that way about the government and 56% about NGOs.
- 57% of respondents said they think government leaders are purposely trying to mislead them and 56% said business leaders are doing the same.
- 59% of respondents said that journalists and reporters purposely mislead people by reporting things they know are false or are gross exaggerations.
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