Effective emergency response depends on trusted communication. Yet the information environment in which emergencies unfold is changing rapidly. The growth of social media, the increasing speed of information sharing, the emergence of generative artificial intelligence, and rising concerns around misinformation and disinformation are creating new challenges for policymakers, emergency responders, and public institutions.
This report presents findings from the first event in the National Centre for Resilience’s 2025 Policy Roundtable Series, which brought together researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and communication specialists to explore how trust can be maintained and strengthened during emergencies.
Discussions focused on the implications of declining trust, fragmented information ecosystems, emerging technologies, and changing public expectations. Participants considered what these developments mean for civil contingencies, emergency preparedness, and public communication in Scotland, while identifying opportunities to improve resilience through more transparent, inclusive, and community-centred approaches.
The report highlights several key themes, including:
- The importance of trusted local voices and community networks alongside national communication channels.
- The challenges posed by misinformation, disinformation, and rapidly evolving digital platforms.
- The role of transparency, accountability, and consistency in building public trust.
- The need to view the public as active participants in resilience rather than passive recipients of information.
- The opportunities and risks associated with emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.
- The infrastructure, governance, and partnerships required to support trusted emergency communication in the future.
While the report does not seek to provide definitive policy recommendations, it offers a synthesis of expert discussion. It helps to identify emerging priorities for strengthening Scotland’s resilience in an increasingly complex information environment.
