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TRUST
By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2025
Violence and spread of disinformation are now seen as legitimate tools for change, study by prominent PR company warns.
The 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer, released annually for the past 25 years by international PR firm Edelman, says global economic fears have transformed into grievance, with six in 10 respondents reporting a moderate to high sense of grievance.
Photo: Vincent M.A. Janssen from Pexels
This is defined by a belief that government and business harm them and serve narrow interests, and ultimately the wealthy benefit while ordinary people struggle. Fear of experiencing discrimination has also surged 10 points to a record high of 63%.
This holds true across genders, ages and economic levels, the PR company says. The 2025 Trust Barometer surveyed more than 33,000 respondents across 28 countries.
“Over the last decade, society has devolved from fears to polarisation [and] to grievance,” says Richard Edelman, CEO of the company, in a media statement.
“[Incumbent leaders] in the US, UK, France, Germany, South Korea and Canada were ousted amid voter anger over job loss to globalisation and inflation. We now see a zero-sum mindset (the belief that one person’s success can only come at the expense of another person’s failure) that legitimises extreme measures like violence and disinformation as tools for change.”
The global launch event for the 2025 Trust Barometer findings took place during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and Richard Edelman has been one of the star media attractions at the event, which finishes today (24 January 2025). He has given multiple interviews warning of the “highly aggrieved world” that exists at present.
Key factors that contribute to feeling of grievance
The Trust Barometer media statement says grievance stems from four key factors:
Four in 10 respondents – 53% of those aged 18-34 – approve of one or more forms of hostile activism to bring about change. This includes attacking people online, intentionally spreading disinformation, threatening or committing violence, and damaging public or private property.
A zero-sum mindset also prevails, with respondents believing gains for those with opposing politics come at their expense – a belief more than twice as common among those with high grievance (53%) than low grievance (23%).
The study says four key institutions have a role to play in reversing the situation: Business; NGOs; government; and the media.
It notes that NGOs, as unifiers, are the institution with the highest trust among those with a sense of high grievance. Government must prove its competence by delivering results that benefit citizens. Media must prioritise quality information over click-driven content to enable informed decisions.
You can watch a YouTube video about the latest Trust Barometer here.
You can read more about the survey here.
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Dr. Kin Kariisa is an extraordinary force at the helm of Next Media Services, a conglomerate encompassing NBS TV, Nile Post, Sanyuka TV, Next Radio, Salam TV, Next Communication, Next Productions, and an array of other influential enterprises. His dynamic role as Chief Executive Officer exemplifies his unwavering commitment to shaping media, business, and community landscapes.
With an esteemed academic journey, Dr. Kariisa’s accolades include an Honorary PhD in exemplary community service from the United Graduate College inTexas, an MBA from United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya, a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from Huazong University in China, and a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Makerere University.
Dr. Kariisa pursued PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands. As a dynamic educator, he has shared his expertise as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at both Makerere University and Radboud University.
Dr Kin did his PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radbond University in Nigmegen, Netherlands. He previously served as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda and Radbond University in Netherlands.
Dr Kin did his postgraduate courses in Strategic Business Management, Strategic Leadership Communication and Strategies for Leading Successful Change Initiatives at Harvard University, Boston USA.