Digitalisation is rapidly reshaping society. Trust in media, institutions and even in each other can no longer be taken for granted. Algorithms determine most of the information we encounter, while disinformation spreads faster than ever before.
Written by Jos Hummelen
Citizens and organisations have little control over their personal data, which is in the hands of powerful Big Tech companies. These developments undermine democratic processes and place society under growing strain.
The European Trust Alliance (THETA) has been established to reverse this trend. Our purpose is to strengthen trust in news & information provision, trust through autonomous data and trust in immersive media technology, by initiating and facilitating knowledge development, innovation and collaboration between companies, governments and knowledge institutions.
THETA’s work is guided by transparency, reciprocity and the conviction that trust must be rebuilt collectively, across borders and disciplines.
Focus on network, research and innovation
THETA focuses its agenda on three pressing domains. First, on ensuring that news and information remain reliable, transparent and measurable in terms of public trust. Second, on empowering citizens and entrepreneurs to regain control over their data while developing standards for authenticity and provenance of digital content. And third, on exploring the effects of new technologies such as artificial intelligence and immersive media, ensuring that they are deployed responsibly to enhance trust
rather than erode it.
In 2025 and 2026, these ambitions will translate into concrete industry tables, projects that connect existing expertise with new partnerships, and in drawing support from national and European innovation programmes.
THETA builds on a strong foundation. With its home base at the Netherlands Institute for Sound & Vision and founding partners – including Utrecht University, Utrecht University of Applied Sciences, ROM Utrecht Region and the Municipality of Hilversum, THETA is firmly anchored in both research and practice. Our ambition is not only to develop knowledge, but to transform that knowledge into tangible initiatives that make a trustworthy digital society
possible.
Eliot Higgins, Bellingcat to inspire and unite
The official launch of THETA took place on September 18 in Studio21 in Hilversum, with a keynote address by Eliot Higgins, founder of Bellingcat. His presence could not have been more fitting.
Bellingcat has become a global leader in open-source investigations, demonstrating how ordinary citizens can expose wrongdoing, verify facts and hold the powerful to account. As Higgins reminded the audience of government representatives, academics, companies and media professionals,
“What we do is far more than just internet research, though. We battle the counterfactual forces warping society. We insist on evidence. And we show ordinary citizens how to expose wrongdoing and demand accountability from the powerful.”
Eliots words captured the essence of what THETA seeks to achieve: a renewed culture of trust, grounded in evidence and collective responsibility. As Eliot stated, “We have no agenda, but we do have a credo: evidence exists and falsehood exist, and people still care about the difference.”
This credo resonates deeply with THETA’s mission to foster collaboration and innovation in pursuit of a digital future where trust is not an exception, but the foundation of society.
An invitation to join forces
Trust is the cornerstone of any democratic, innovative, and resilient society. Yet, trust cannot be regained in isolation. It requires commitment, collaboration, and action across all sectors. That’s why we warmly invite companies, knowledge institutions, governments, thought leaders and civic organisations across Europe to join our alliance. Only by working together we can ensure that trust remains at the heart of our information society.
