Digital trust is a necessity in a world where digital technologies support and mediate virtually all economic transactions, social connections and institutions. At the same, this trust is significantly eroding on a global scale. In order to reverse this trend, leaders and organizations creating and implementing new technologies and digital services must make decisions that are worthy of trust.

The World Economic Forum launched the Digital Trust initiative to help solve the digital trust challenge. The key question the initiative asked was: How can leaders make better, more trustworthy decisions regarding technology?

This insight report represents the first response to that question. It defines digital trust globally and introduces a “digital trust framework”, developed by the initiative, as a tool to guide decision-making for leaders.

– Digital trust is individuals’ expectation that digital technologies and services – and the organizations providing them – will protect all stakeholders’ interests and uphold societal expectations and values – Only by deciding and acting for digital trust can leaders and organizations meet their obligations to society and individuals.

– The digital trust framework defines shared goals or values that inform the concept of digital trust, including: – Security and reliability – Accountability and oversight – Inclusive, ethical and responsible use.