The past decade has seen political polarisation – accelerated by social media’s filter bubbles and echo chambers – deepen and mutate. An ominous era of a polycrisis has shattered any remaining societal consensus. Meanwhile, powerful anti-establishment voices have stepped into the void.

As fake news continues to flourish across the web, people are looking to tech companies to take charge of the issue and make long-term adjustments to restore the credibility of online news. But with misleading media easier than ever to manufacture, how can trust be created and maintained?

With AI-generated content continuing to pick up speed across sectors, the EU is pursuing plans to regulate the tech. Meanwhile, as trust among the public dwindles, brands have a role in helping people understand how to safely and transparently integrate these tools into everyday tasks.

With concerns around data security and censorship driving a growing sense of dissatisfaction with Big Tech, some people are searching for ways to communicate, socialise, and organise online outside of mainstream social media platforms. How will this shift transform the digital space?

Edelman’s 2022 Trust Barometer shows that Americans' trust in tech continues to decline, with trust scores down 19 percentage points in 2022 compared to 2019. With people worried about tech misusing their personal data, giving people transparency and control is key to regaining trust.