Low on trust, high on use datafied media, trust and everyday life

Abstract

This article explores yet another paradox – aside from the privacy paradox – related to the datafication of media: citizens trust least the media they use most It investigates the role that daily life plays in shaping the trust that citizens place in datafied media. The study reveals five sets of heuristics guiding the trust assessments of citizens: (1) characteristics of media organisations, (2) old media standards, (3) context of use and purpose, (4) experiences of datafication and (5) understandings of datafication. The article discusses the use of these heuristics and the value that everyday life holds in assessing trust in datafied media. It concludes that, guided by a partial ‘structure of perception’ and enticed into trusting datafied media in the context of their daily lives, citizens may be highly concerned by the datafication of media but use them nevertheless.