WATERLOO, ON and OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 23, 2025 (CNW Group via COMTEX) --
Thirteen years after Edward Snowden's revelations shattered global faith in the internet, a new report suggests the world is once again at a crossroads. Key results of the 2025 Carletonâ??CIGIâ??Ipsos Survey of Global Trust in the Internet, released today by Carleton University, Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) and Ipsos, find that while confidence in the internet is rising, mounting concerns about artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on privacy are rekindling old anxieties about who really controls our data.
"Snowden showed us just how fragile digital trust can be," said Fen Osler Hampson, Chancellor's Professor at Carleton University. "Now, with the rapid spread of artificial intelligence, we are seeing history repeat itself. People want technology that works for them, but not at the expense of their privacy or their sense of control."
Drawing on responses from over 13,500 internet users across 16 countries, the 2025 survey paints a complex picture of renewed optimism tempered by deep unease.
Key Findings
"The overall message from the survey is clear," said Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI)Â President Paul Samson. "Trust is both the engine and the brake on digital progress. Without it, even the most powerful technologies risk a loss of confidence."
Based on extensive tracking of attitudes since the Snowden disclosures, the 2025 Carletonâ??CIGIâ??Ipsos Survey shows that the world's digital citizens are seeking not just innovation, but assuranceâ??proof that their rights, data, and dignity will be safeguarded in the AI era.
About the SurveyThe 2025 Carletonâ??CIGIâ??Ipsos Survey of Global Trust in the Internet was conducted online between February 21 and March 7, 2025, in 16 countries, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, South Africa, South Korea and the United States. The survey tracks perceptions of privacy, security, and trust in both the internet and AI governance.
Thirteen years after Snowden, the world's message is unmistakable: trust still matters but we are seeing a new trust deficit with AI.
SOURCE Centre for International Governance Innovation
SOURCE: Centre for International Governance Innovation
Media Contacts: Centre for International Governance Innovation: Rebecca MacIntyre,
Communications Manager, Email: rmacintyre@cigionline.org, Phone: +1 (647) 861-6800;
Ipsos Canada: Sean Simpson, Senior Vice President, Ipsos Public Affairs, Email:
Sean.Simpson@ipsos.com, Phone: +1 (519) 581-3896; Carleton University - Norman
Paterson School of International Affairs, Email: mediarelations@npsia.carleton.ca,
Phone: +1 (613) 520aEUR'2600
COMTEX_469739290/2197/2025-10-23T09:08:00
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