Building trust in governments through digital platforms
Around the world, many people report distrusting their government. In some places, such as Latin America, North America and Africa, trust in government has declined in recent decades. How can governments rebuild this trust?
A recent study from MIT Governance Lab and Busara reveals how government partnerships with trusted private companies can influence public trust in governments. In Kenya, county governments collaborated with telecom giant Safaricom to create an online portal, My County Hub. Surveys showed that crediting Safaricom alone for the portal increased willingness to use it but decreased trust in the government compared to crediting the partnership as a whole.
This suggests that while digital services can encourage short-term use, they may erode long-term trust in governments if not presented as a joint effort.
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