‘Trust is the golden thread that binds our democracy, yet it is fraying. This book is a rich and diverse trove of information and opinions on dealing with a central issue of our time.’ Michelle Grattan, Chief Political Correspondent, The Conversation
Today, trust seems harder to find than ever before. It’s hardly surprising we feel that way. Our politics is polarised, our online world is awash with misinformation, and we’ve lost faith in our bedrock institutions. Yet, without trust, we cannot work together to solve the big problems we face.
But there is a way back. A way to rediscover trust in our leaders and institutions. A way to tackle the doubt.
This insightful collection of essays brings together top thinkers from across the globe in media, science, government, academia and business to examine how and why trust is disappearing, and how we might navigate these confusing times.
It explores the origins of our misinformation culture and its impact on democracy. It looks at the moral and ethical foundations our institutions are built on, and shines a light on the media and its role in sorting fact from fiction. Expert minds in business, science and law enforcement explain how to maintain trust and how easily it can be broken, and leaders on the front line of technological development describe the influence of bots, conspiracy theories and generative AI.
If we are to address the big issues facing our world, then we must have trust, because without it we have no sense of shared reality. Alone, we can’t do it. Together, we might.
Contributors
Simon Longstaff, Executive Director, The Ethics Centre, Australia
Gavin Fang, Editorial Director, ABC, Australia
Ben Decker, Founder and CEO of Memetica, United States
Layla Mashkoor, the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab, Canada
Tracey Kirkland, Continuous News Editor, ABC, Australia
Patricia Karvelas, journalist and broadcaster, ABC, Australia
Cathy Foley, Chief Scientist, Australia
Michael Stead, Anglican Bishop of South Sydney, Australia
Graham Ashton, former chief commissioner of Victoria Police, Australia
Yalmay Yunupingu, Yolŋu Elder, teacher and Senior Australian of the Year 2024, Australia
Nic Newman and Amy Ross Arguedas, Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, United Kingdom
Fergus McIntosh, Head Research Editor, The New Yorker, United States
Ulrik Haagerup, founder and CEO of Constructive Institute, Denmark
Catherine Tait, former president and CEO, CBC/Radio-Canada, Canada, and Eli Pariser, co-founder of New_ Public, United States
Kristian Porter, CEO, Public Media Alliance, United Kingdom
Gert Tingghaard Svendsen, author and Professor of Public Policy, Aarhus University, Denmark
Ross Honeywill, social scientist, and Michele Levine, CEO, Roy Morgan, Australia
Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Harvard Business School, United States
Michael Smith, former chairman, 7-Eleven, Australia
Subramanian Rangan, Professor of Strategy and Management, European Institute for Business Administration (INSEAD), France
Louise Mahler, executive adviser and coach, Australia
Toby Walsh, Chief Scientist, UNSW AI Institute, Australia
Timothy Graham, Associate Professor in Digital Media, Queensland University of Technology, Australia
Kaz Ross, researcher into far-right extremism and conspiracy theories, Australia
Julia Baird, author, broadcaster and journalist, Australia
