Age of Doubt
Building Trust in a World of Misinformation
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.
Tracey Kirkland is an Australian news journalist who has worked in broadcast and print for more than thirty years. She is currently the Continuous News Editor in charge of TV and video at ABC News Channel, and was previously the ABC’s national senior newsgathering editor. Since joining the ABC in 1999, Tracey has been a reporter, presenter or producer for all of the public broadcaster’s major news programs. She is the co-editor of Pandemedia: How COVID Changed Journalism.
Gavin Fang is an Australian journalist with more than thirty years’ experience in broadcast and print media. He is currently Editorial Director at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and was previously deputy director of news. Gavin is a former correspondent for the ABC in Indonesia. He is the co-editor of Pandemedia: How COVID Changed Journalism.
