The 2017 Edelman Trust Barometer reveals rising trust in energy and significant challenges faced by institutions, particularly in the media and government sectors, which have reached all-time lows in public confidence. Trust has decreased in 21 of the 28 countries surveyed, with two-thirds of respondents identifying as distrusters. The document highlights a growing disconnect between the informed public and the mass population regarding their trust in institutions like NGOs, businesses, governments, and the media.