Young adults are attributing declining trust in younger demographics to the influence of social media.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ General Social Survey, in 2025 less than half of Australians aged 15-24 agreed that most people are trustworthy.
The percentage of people aged 15-24, who agreed, dropped 12.6 per cent from 2020 to 2025, while ‘disagree’ responses more than doubled.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics
‘Agree’ responses across the total population dropped by 11 per cent, decreasing from 61 per cent in 2020.
University of Wollongong (UOW) social work student, Jessica Bailey, 21, said the decrease in trust is a result of heightened information over social media.
“A lot of online social movements have been happening online, and raising a lot of questions,” she said.
Ms Bailey said gender violence is one prominent issue being raised online, making young people more wary in the real world.
“I think it’s because of the stories people hear from their friends and from online. More people are being outspoken against gender violence,” she said.
“It’s not that people have gotten more dangerous, people have become more aware of the dangers.”
A study conducted by the University of South Australia found the number of students aged 11-14 who used social media daily more than doubled between 2020 and 2022.
Over the four-year period, the number of daily users in the South Australian schools in the study rose from 26 per cent to 85 per cent.
Source: JAMA Pediatrics
This age demographic, as of 2022, would go on to comprise the 15-24 bracket of the 2025 General Social Survey.
UOW primary education student, Jasmine Sim, 20, said young people’s outlooks are being heavily shaped by their online presence.
“I think technology definitely plays a really big part in trust,” she said.
“Kids spend so much time online, and online people are sharing debates, news articles, and information about what’s happening around the world.”
Ms Sim has seen a wave of divisive social media rhetoric penetrate the classroom setting.
“I see this a lot in the classrooms I work in, a lot of kids are exposed to pretty toxic online algorithms,” she said.
“Either there’s a lot of misinformation or there’s a lot of really bad role models, which can lead to a lot of young people becoming less trusting.”
As well as interpersonal trust, trust in institutions like healthcare has also declined.
Trust in the healthcare system decreased across all ages from 2020 to 2025, with a 17.5 per cent drop in the 15-24 range.
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics
UOW nursing student, Michelle Geogy, 20, has experienced firsthand an increasing scepticism towards healthcare at work.
“People are more skeptical when it comes to authorities,” she said.
“Patients have told me, ‘I don’t know why I’m taking all these medications’, people feel like they’re being ripped off.”
Ms Geogy said trusting online information has proved more prevalent than general trust in society.
“[Nowadays] we have more access to social media and resources, and that influences us to rely on that a lot more. You don’t need as much trust for that,” she said.
The next ABS General Social Survey will commence in 2030 for a 2031 publication.
Feature image: Max McIver
