Click, wait, repeat: Digital trust erodes one login at a time

The 2026 Thales Digital Trust Index finds that everyday frictions in digital services—lengthy sign-ups, repeated logins, slow pages, confusing navigation, unclear privacy settings, inconsistent partner access, and unexplained security measures—erode user trust. Consumers generally accept well-explained security (MFA, passkeys) but are wary of AI and have limited visibility into data handling; organizations and users diverge in perceptions of trust and operational access controls. The report emphasizes demand for clearer explanations, better visibility and control over access, and alignment between usability and security.