Can We Trust Green Apps? Mapping out 14 Trustworthiness Indicators

Green apps have emerged as ways users can engage with climate action, covering ventures that plant trees as users search for information (e.g., Ecosia) through to apps that facilitate behaviour change (e.g., United Nation’s AWorld). But how much can these apps be trusted to facilitate long-term engagement with climate action? Setting our research within the literature on trust, we combine expert interviews (n = 20) with the academic literature to outline 14 trustworthiness indicators. Each indicator provides a clear statement about what makes a green app more or less trustworthy. The indicators are grouped into six core categories: going beyond the app, meaningful collective action, designing the app, accessibility and inequality, data, and organisation. In doing so, our indicators speak to a range of research from multiple disciplines. At the same time, they provide a toolkit for users, practitioners, and academics to critically and productively engage with green apps.