Monash University Publishing 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, as observed by Maria Ressa, we must have trust, because without it we have no sense of shared reality. Alone, we can’t do it. Together, we might. Autorid: Tracey Kirkland, Gavin Fang