The 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer reveals trust is in jeopardy as society moves from grievance to insularity. According to the Edelman Trust Institute‘s latest global research study, 7 in 10 respondents report an unwillingness or hesitance to trust someone with different values, approaches to social issues, backgrounds, or information sources. The report notes that insularity intersects income, gender, and age, and affects both developed and developing markets.
Top Findings:
- Insularity is highest in developed markets, Japan (90%) and Germany (81%).
- Insularity is higher than the global average in the UK (76%) and Canada (73%).
- Forces fueling the rise of insularity:
- Economic Anxiety: Two-thirds of employees worry that trade policies and tariffs will hurt their employer.
- Collapse in Optimism: Only 32% of respondents believe that the next generation will be better off.
- Eroding Institutional Trust: Low-income respondents see institutions, on average, 18 points less competent than high-income respondents and 15 points less ethical.
- Information Crisis: 65% worry that foreign actors are injecting falsehoods into national media to inflame domestic divisions, while only 39% get news from ideologically different sources on at least a weekly basis.
For further information about the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer, click here.
