Gen Z doesn’t trust most institutions, except science

A new study found that Gen Z members lack trust in institutions
They're especially skeptical of Congress, the news and large tech companies
Gen Z places most of its trust in science

Updated: Sep 15, 2023 / 09:06 PM CDT

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(NewsNation) — American members of Generation Z, those ages 12-26, don’t trust political and societal institutions, according to a new study from Gallup and the Walton Family Foundation.

While no institution other than science has earned the trust of most Gen Z members, the generation born between 1997 and 2012 especially lack trust in Congress, the news, the presidency and large technology companies, according to the report’s findings.

Fewer than one in four Gen Z members trust the information they see online, the United States Supreme Court and the criminal justice system. Most of their trust is placed in science, at 71%, according to the study.

Older and younger members of the generation don’t see eye-to-eye on everything. About 51% of younger Gen Z members, those 12-18 years old, have a great deal or quite a lot of trust in the military, while about 30% of older Gen Z members, ages 18-26 say the same.

Along those lines, about 48% of younger Gen Z members trust the police, compared with 28% of the generation’s older members.