Another Snowden Moment: Global Survey Shows Trust in the Internet Rebounds, But Fear of AI and Threats to Privacy Deepens

WATERLOO, ON and OTTAWA, ON, Oct. 23, 2025 /CNW/ - 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 Carleton–CIGI–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

• Trust Rebounds Amidst Continuing Concerns About Privacy: Two-thirds of global citizens (67%) say they trust the internet--up four points since 2021--yet more than eight in ten (84%) remain anxious about online privacy.
• Regional Gaps in Digital Confidence: Trust is highest in emerging economies like Kenya and India, where digital adoption is surging, and lowest in North America and Western Europe, where data breaches and misinformation have eroded the public's faith.
• AI Emerges as the New Fault Line: Only half of respondents (52%) say they trust AI technologies, with some sharp divides between regions--trust is higher in the Middle East and Africa but falls to 41% in Europe and 31% in North America because of worries about job losses and algorithmic bias.
• Privacy in the Age of AI: In advanced economies, nearly half believe AI will erode their personal privacy--reviving similar concerns once triggered by Snowden's U.S. government surveillance revelations.
• A Call for Responsible Governance: Across all regions, solid majorities (80% or higher) support stronger regulation and government oversight of AI development to ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability.

"The overall message from the survey is clear," said Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) 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 Carleton–CIGI–Ipsos Survey shows that the world's digital citizens are seeking not just innovation, but assurance--proof that their rights, data, and dignity will be safeguarded in the AI era.

About the Survey
The 2025 Carleton–CIGI–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

Media Contacts: Centre for International Governance Innovation: Rebecca MacIntyre, Communications Manager, Email: [email protected], Phone: [phone]; Ipsos Canada: Sean Simpson, Senior Vice President, Ipsos Public Affairs, Email: [email protected], Phone: [phone]; Carleton University - Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Email: [email protected], Phone: [phone]‑2600