Big Tech Trust: Survey Shows Wide Range Of Skepticism Toward Silicon Valley Companies And Their CEOs

Big tech companies have penetrated nearly every part of our lives, responsible for modern marvels such as smartphones, social media, same-day delivery, and so much more.

But those same companies are not without controversy, as things like data breaches, environmental damage, and controversial statements from famous executives have muddied public sentiment.

Of course, not all companies and controversies are equal. To get a better understanding of how the average person perceives these kinds of tech giants, the All About Cookies team asked 1,000 U.S. adults how they feel about 10 of the biggest companies in America.

And to take things up a notch, we compared that to how they feel about the U.S. government.

Key findings:

• Businesses and entities people trust the least: TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), and Tesla are among the least trusted, gaining the trust of less than 30% of respondents.
• Which tech billionaires people dislike the most: Negative opinions are the strongest toward Elon Musk (X), Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook), and Bob Iger (Disney), topping out at a dislike rate of 42%.
• Businesses and entities that are in it for the greater good: Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and Apple are believed to genuinely care the most about the well-being of their customers.

How trusting are Americans toward large tech companies?

Before touching on specific topics, the below chart shows how much people trust each of these companies in general. The U.S. government comes in as the least trusted on the list.

While there’s a healthy level of skepticism toward most of these entities, around two-thirds of respondents indicated that they do trust three different companies:

• Amazon (70%)
• Google (65%)
• Netflix (64%)

Three companies are trusted by less than one-third of people, with X only scrounging together a meager 28% who responded that they do trust it, slightly lower than the 29% that trust Tesla and TikTok.

When not considering neutral responses, we found that distrust was highest toward TikTok, as 52% expressed distrust toward the Chinese-backed social media giant.

Every single company, including TikTok, has a higher positive trust level than the U.S. Federal Government, which was included as a comparison point throughout the survey.

Which tech billionaires do people dislike the most?

When tech companies become mega giants, the founders and CEOs of the companies themselves often also become public figures and household names. The downside to that is negative consumer attitudes toward companies can extend to those figureheads — and vice versa.

Elon Musk is the most disliked executive in tech according to our survey. 42% of respondents say they’re not a fan, compared to 34% who like him and 25% with a neutral opinion. This is consistent with the rest of the survey results, where two of the companies that people trusted the least were Tesla and X, both of which are owned by Musk.

The only other tech figurehead that more than one-third of people say they actively dislike is Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg.

How much do Americans trust large tech companies with their data?

Today, data breaches are a frustratingly common occurrence, with the data of millions of customers getting compromised by cyberattacks and security failures every year. As a result, consumers have adapted by becoming more wary when sharing personal and financial data with major companies.

When it comes to their personal data, people believe Amazon is the best at holding the fort. 59% of people say they trust in Amazon’s ability to stay true to their word, compared to just 17% who feel negatively about the retail giant’s security measures.

On the flip side, less than a quarter of people believe in TikTok’s ability to keep their data safe, while a whopping 60% have distrust in this regard.

With financial data, Amazon again reigns supreme — as 54% of people say they feel good about Amazon’s ability to keep their financial information safe. However, four different companies are distrusted by more than 50% of respondents: Meta (53%), Tesla (51%), X (60%), and TikTok (68%).

How many people believe major tech companies care about their customers?

Customer care and support is a crucial part of running any business, but not every company excels at it. We wanted to know which companies are treating their customers right and which ones are falling short.

54% of people say they believe that Amazon truly cares about their customers and wants to provide them with the best experience possible, compared to just 18% who think the shopping platform doesn’t care about their users. Google is the only other company that more than 50% of respondents believe cares about them.

53% of people don’t believe that X cares about their customers, while 51% said the same thing about TikTok. Those companies also had the lowest percentage of people who said they do believe that the companies care about their customers, at less than 30% each.

By comparison, 29% of people said they believe the U.S. Federal Government genuinely cares about their constituents, with 44% saying this isn’t the case.

Build better trust by protecting your online identity

Regardless of your opinions about these companies and their intentions, here are some tips on how to improve your digital safety and trust that you’re browsing the internet safely.

• Use social media safely. Educate yourself with the following social media safety tips before logging into your profile and news feeds.

• Opt for an identity theft protection service. Programs like Aura and Norton LifeLock are considered some of the best identity theft protection services due to their unique features and coverage plans.

• Browse with a VPN. Virtual private networks (VPNs) are easy to use and offer an additional layer of security when accessing popular sites/platforms.

Advice from our experts

While our study helped us better understand what factors play into consumer opinions, we also had our own questions about brand trust and privacy laws. To find out more, we asked the experts to weigh in. We asked our experts:

1. In what ways can data breaches/cyberattacks on a business directly impact one's level of brand trust?
2. Is it still important for tech companies to invest in/support their own ESG (environmental, social, and governance) movements to foster a more positive public perception?

Check out their answers by clicking on their names below.

Cristian Borcea, Ph.D.

Professor, Computer Science | New Jersey Institute of Technology

In what ways can data breaches/cyberattacks on a business directly impact one's level of brand trust?

Nobody is happy to have their personal information stolen by hackers or malicious nation-states. This information can then be sold on the dark web for a myriad of nefarious purposes. Therefore, consumers may think twice before engaging in business with companies that have been breached and as a consequence lost their personal data. Clearly, the level of trust decreases. One silver lining to this is that some customers may be more careful with their personal data in the future and get better educated about online privacy.

Is it still important for tech companies to invest in/support their own ESG (environmental, social, and governance) movements to foster a more positive public perception?

This is such a politically-charged subject (the left is for ESG, the right is against ESG, and the US is split about evenly between left and right) that it's not clear whether companies will have benefits from investing/supporting ESG. I think it all depends on the type of customers they serve and their political leanings.

Any additional commentary on this topic that you'd like to add?

The US needs a federal law/regulation for online privacy, similar in nature with GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), but perhaps better — the US can learn from what worked and what didn't work in GDPR. Leaving privacy regulations to the states doesn't work for the internet. This law/regulation may consider fining companies for data breaches and using the money from the fines to compensate the customers who lost their data in the breaches. Alternatively, the companies may be required to financially compensate the customers when they lose their personal information/data.

^{Some responses may have been slightly edited for clarity and brevity.}

Yu Cai, Ph.D.

Professor and Associate Chair, Applied Computing | Michigan Tech University

In what ways can data breaches/cyberattacks on a business directly impact one's level of brand trust?

Data breaches and cyberattacks can significantly impact a consumer's level of brand trust in several ways:

• Reputation damage: A data breach can severely damage a company's reputation. News of the breach spreads quickly, and consumers may perceive the company as incompetent or negligent regarding cybersecurity. Such damage to a company's reputation may take years to repair.
• Financial consequences: Both companies and their consumers may incur financial losses due to breaches or attacks. Additionally, there may be fines or legal costs associated with these breaches.
• Loss of personal data: When a data breach occurs, consumers' personal information — such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, addresses, and other sensitive data like medical records — may be compromised. This loss directly impacts consumers and raises significant privacy concerns.

It is worth pointing out that how a company handles communication after a breach plays a crucial role in maintaining trust. If a company is transparent, takes responsibility, and provides clear, timely updates, it can mitigate some damage. However, poor communication, misinformation, or a lack of updates can exacerbate the situation.

Is it still important for tech companies to invest in/support their own ESG movements to foster a more positive public perception?

Absolutely, it is crucial for tech companies to invest in and support their own ESG initiatives to foster a more positive public perception. Especially as many tech giants suffer from negative public perception due to their bold actions, reckless investments, and excessive compensation plans, strong ESG practices can help mitigate reputational risks associated with environmental damage, social injustices, or governance failures. Companies with positive ESG records are better positioned to maintain public trust and manage crises effectively. In addition, employees are more likely to be engaged and motivated when they work for companies that align with their values. Companies that prioritize ESG initiatives can attract and retain top talent, enhancing overall productivity and innovation.

Any additional commentary on this topic that you'd like to add?

The rapid development of AI technologies imposes even greater risks and challenges on security, privacy, fairness, and trustworthiness of technologies. As a result, these giant tech companies now bear an unprecedented responsibility in shaping the future of humanity.

^{Some responses may have been slightly edited for clarity and brevity.}

Methodology

All About Cookies surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults aged 18 or older using a survey platform. Responses were collected in April and May 2024. The U.S. Federal Government was included throughout the survey as a comparison point.

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Author Details

Josh Koebert

About the Author

Josh Koebert is an experienced content marketer that loves exploring how tech overlaps with topics such as sports, food, pop culture, and more. His work has been featured on sites such as CNN, ESPN, Business Insider, and Lifehacker.