Digital information consumption, democratic context, perceived corruption and political trust: a global examination

Purpose This study explores how digital information consumption and perceptions of corruption affect trust in government, shaped by country-level democratic context. We argue that in less democratic countries, the Internet increases access to political corruption news, impacting trust in government. Design/methodology/approach Using Varieties of Democracy Institute (V-Dem) principles (liberal, participatory, deliberative, egalitarian), we analyze digital information consumption in 128 countries with Gallup data. Findings Participatory democracy strongly moderates the negative relationship between digital consumption and trust, especially in moderate democracies with high perceived corruption. Social implications Digital information’s effect on trust depends on government type and existing confidence levels. Originality/value This study uses data from 128 countries, enabling broad inferences about digital communication’s consequences. It also provides a novel examination of the relationship between digital information consumption, perceived corruption and attitudes towards government.