Look beyond the headlines and the past decade has delivered significant social progress. Global poverty levels are down and life expectancy is up. Hate crimes have fallen while progressive attitudes to equality are increasingly prevalent.

However, the last few years have seen a profound shift in the political environment. In countries around the world we are seeing a common set of challenges emerge.

Trust in experts, institutions, and the media has been eroded. The spread of misinformation and the devaluation of truth have created echo chambers that are entrenching views and polarising communities. Populist politicians are exploiting this, leading to a rise in authoritarian governments and the greater prevalence of insular, nationalist perspectives.  

Civic space is also under attack, both on and offline, with freedoms of expression, assembly, and privacy being withdrawn. In parallel, the potential downsides of rapid advances in technology, especially those related to data use and artificial intelligence, are becoming clearer and more acute. Those with power are increasingly misusing technology and data to maintain and enhance their positions in society. 

It is against this global backdrop that Luminate operates.