Misinformation as institutional trust failure

Misinformation should be treated not primarily as a deficit of facts but as a symptom of eroded trust in experts, universities, and public institutions. Fixes focused on fact‑checking will fail unless policies rebuild credibility, protect open inquiry, and reduce incentives for elites to conceal uncertainty. — Shifting the frame from 'combat falsehoods' to 'repair institutional trust' changes what reforms matter — from content moderation to academic freedom, transparency, and governance incentives.