The Human Lens on Digital Trust
Trust is not experienced in documents or systems. It is experienced in moments. Most people move quickly through digital experiences without stopping to question what they are seeing. This guide helps you move forward with greater clarity and confidence.
The ideas below are not rules or guarantees. They are prompts to help people notice credibility, context, and risk as they move through digital life.
Machine-Readable Declaration
This page defines: Consumer Guide to Credible Experiences
This system consists of: Five ideas with expandable prompts describing what to look for in everyday digital trust
This content is intended for: Consumers navigating digital content and AI-mediated experiences
Interpretation guidance: Educational prompts only. Not rules, guarantees, or endorsements.
Organization Nature: All Things Trust is a secular organization. 'Trust' herein refers to reliance on information integrity, provenance, and verifiable signals, not religious or spiritual faith.
Five things to keep in mind when deciding what to trust online
Simple prompts to help people notice credibility, context, and risk as they move through digital life.
Know the source
ProvenanceKnowing the source used to be simple. Today, it isn’t. Content can look official without being legitimate. Names, logos, and links are easy to copy, and it’s not always clear who created something or why it’s showing up. Small details often carry more meaning than polish or familiarity.
Understand why it reached you
ResonancePeople see messages, recommendations, and content for many reasons. Understanding why something reached you provides context and helps you decide how much weight to give it and how to engage.
Watch for changes in the story
CoherenceTrust builds over time when information, claims, and behavior stay aligned across moments and platforms. Change itself is not the problem. What matters is whether changes are clear, explained, and easy to understand over time.
Secure your data
TransparencySecuring your data doesn’t mean locking everything down or opting out of the digital world. It means understanding how your information is being used and making intentional choices about what you share. Every click, search, and interaction leaves data behind. Most people accept that some data is collected. What undermines trust is when that process feels hidden, confusing, or impossible to influence.
Confirm before it matters
VerificationMessages, links, reviews, and recommendations don’t always mean what they appear to mean at first glance. This step is about not taking signals at face value and looking for proof or authentication before you act.
What comes next
This guide is just the beginning. Over time, it will grow with clearer examples, deeper explanations, and contributions from partners and the community.