Today’s college students grew up carrying tiny computers in their pockets and sharing snapshots of their lives on social media. But as eager as they are to share personal information, it turns out that they don’t have much faith that tech giants will keep their data safe.
A new survey of 7,540 undergraduates found that just 13% of students trust Facebook to obey laws that protect users’ personal information, compared to 30% who trust Apple, 27% who trust Amazon, and 25% who trust Google.
“I trust Facebook to sell every bit of my personal information to just about anyone,” a University of Tennessee at Chattanooga student says.
Apple is More Trusted than Other Tech Giants
Percent of students who trust tech companies to obey laws that protect personal information.
Although the majority of students are not confident that their data will be protected, black students are generally less trusting of tech companies than their peers. While just 18% of black students trust Google to obey laws that protect their personal information, 28% of white students, 28% of Asian students, and 24% of Hispanic students say they trust Google.
Snapchat is the only exception. Almost 2 in 10 (19%) Asian students have faith in Snapchat, compared to 21% of both black and Hispanic students and 24% of white students.
Black Students are Less Likely to Trust Tech Giants with Data
Percent of students who trust tech companies to obey laws that protect personal information.
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Methodology: This survey was designed and conducted by College Pulse. Interviews were conducted among a sample of 7,540 full-time and part-time students attending four-year colleges or universities in the U.S. who are part of College Pulse’s American College Student Panel.
