A lack of trust in difference
A insularidade aponta para uma tendência de isolamento, que se reflete na dificuldade de aceitação de opiniões ou fontes de informação, por exemplo, diferentes daquelas com que nos identificamos.
The Edelman Trust Barometer predicts a crisis of insularity by 2026, that is, “a reluctance to trust anyone who’s different from you” – 70% of respondents stated that they are unwilling, or hesitant, to trust someone who:
– “Lives by different core values than me;
– Believes different facts and trusts different sources than I do;
– Wants to address societal problems differently than I do;
– Has a different culture, background, or lifestyle than mine”.
This insularity follows the Edelman Trust Barometer’s identification in 2025 of a crisis of resentment, which led to a breakdown in trust in figures typically associated with credible information.
The 2026 report of this barometer, which measures trust in business, governments, the media and non-governmental organisations, notes that “the fear that foreign actors spread disinformation to sow domestic division” is higher than ever. Furthermore, exposure to information from sources with political ideologies different from one’s own has seen a widespread decline. The report also notes that trust is increasing in developing countries, whilst in developed countries it is lowering.
The response to this crisis, according to the Edelman Trust Barometer, lies in “trust brokering”, a set of practices that seeks to “facilitate trust across difference”. This mechanism, which “surfaces the common interests of insulated parties and translates their needs, goals, and realities for one another”, can be put into practice by an individual, an organisation or an institution. Thus, over 70% of participants in the Edelman Trust Barometer study believe that trust-building can be facilitated by the media (by easing tensions through dedicated time and coverage of different viewpoints, and through rigorous reporting); by governments (by setting the right ‘tone’, avoiding rhetoric of blame and vilification); and by non-governmental organisations (through mediation between groups).
Scientists and teachers, despite a slight decline compared to 2025, continue to enjoy the highest levels of trust (76% and 73%, respectively), whilst journalists are trusted by only 54% of participants. Government leaders, on the other hand, are viewed with a lack of trust, at 49%.
Also noteworthy is the lack of trust (distrust) in the media in 13 of the 28 countries considered in this report, namely Italy, Germany, Sweden, Australia, Colombia, Argentina, the USA, Ireland, Spain, France, South Korea, the UK and Japan. As regards governments, there is a lack of trust in 14 of the 28 countries: Argentina, Kenya, Brazil, Ireland, Mexico, Germany, Italy, the US, Japan, the UK, Spain, Colombia, South Africa and France.
Notes
– This study involved nearly 34,000 participants from 28 countries (around 1,200 participants per country).
– The scale of trust in the media, expressed as a percentage, is presented as follows in the report: 1–49% (distrust); 50–59% (neutral); 60–100% (trust).
