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RESEARCH, ANALYSIS & TRENDS

Raging epidemic of misinformation puts

trust to a test, Edelman Trust Barometer

2021 reveals

After a year of unprecedented disaster and ment, NGOs and media—in an environment of infor-
turbulence, the 2021 Edelman Trust Barometer mation bankruptcy and a mandate to rebuild trust and
reveals an epidemic of misinformation and chart a new path forward.
widespread mistrust of societal institutions and “This is the era of information bankruptcy,” said Richard
leaders around the world. The disaster is that Edelman, CEO of Edelman. “We’ve been lied to by
people don’t know where or who to turn to for those in charge, and media sources are seen as politi-
reliable information. But, particularly in times of cized and bias. The result is a lack of quality infor-
turbulence and volatility, trust is what needed by mation and increased divisiveness.”
society to grow, rebuild and rebound.
Business (61%) has emerged as the most trusted insti-
Crisis of leadership
tution, replacing government (53%), and is the only in-
stitution deemed ethical and competent; business out-
Most respondents believe that government leaders
(57%), business leaders (56%), and journalists (59%) scores government by 48 points on competency and is
are purposely trying to mislead people by saying things approaching NGOs in ethics. Over the last five months,
they know are false. In fact, the global infodemic has business seized the high ground of trust by proactively
driven trust in all news sources to record lows with so- developing vaccines in record time and finding new
cial media (35%) and owned media (41%) the least ways to work. Trust continues to move local, with re-
trusted, while traditional media (53%) saw the largest spondents placing even higher reliance on ‘my employ-
drop in trust at eight points. Adding to this is a failing er’ at 76%, and ‘my employer CEO’ at 63%.
trust ecosystem unable to confront the rampant info- This year’s report reveals that the biggest opportunity
demic, leaving the four institutions—business, govern-
to earn business trust is guarding information quality.

March 2021: Data Privacy & Ethics in Marketing 9