Distrust in authority is at an all-time high. The Edelman Trust Barometer — an annual survey of over 32k people in 28 countries that is now in its 25th year — has found that trust in governments, business leaders, and the media is at a low ebb as we kick off what is already set to be a tumultuous 2025. People are feeling frustrated, angry, and alienated, with many looking for change.

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Respondents feel that capitalism no longer serves the average citizen. Nearly two thirds of those surveyed believe that the wealthy cause most of the world’s problems, with 61% of respondents reporting that they hold grievances against businesses, the rich, and the nexus between business and government. Low trust in institutions is particularly pronounced in the bottom 25% of the income distribution, with only 48% of low-income respondents expressing trust in major institutions compared to 61% of high-income respondents.

Many feel like the system works against them. Nearly two thirds of people surveyed believe that they are discriminated against, up 10 percentage points from 2024, with white Americans showing a particularly sharp 14-point increase to 48%.

Farewell to optimism. Two thirds of respondents struggle to differentiate between reliable news and disinformation — claiming that media individuals and people in power are intentionally lying. Sixty-two percent are afraid they might lose their job to AI. And it seems like they’re losing hope for the future, with only one-third believing that the next generation will be better off.

Younger people are willing to take drastic measures. While only four in ten respondents overall reported that they approve of “hostile activism” — including attacking people online, intentionally spreading disinformation, threatening violence, and damaging public or private property — as a means to drive change, 53% of respondents between the ages of 18 and 34 said they approved of these measures.

A little hope could be the answer. “The most pressing need is to restore economic optimism. Our research tells us that when people see solutions, they’re more hopeful and willing to sacrifice for the greater good. When trust is earned, optimism grows,” Edelman CEO Richard Edelman told Fortune.

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