Technology firms 'more trusted than traditional media'

Technology giants such as Google, Apple and Microsoft are now more trusted than traditional news media, a study has found.

American researchers also found that people now trusted the technology heavyweights more than social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

According to the new study, the majority of people rated online privacy as one of their major concerns when using the internet after both Google and Facebook were hit by rows over people's private details being disclosed on the web.

The study, of more than 2100 people, found nearly half they trusted the big three technology firms Apple, Google and Microsoft" completely" or "a lot”.

This was compared to eight per cent trusting Twitter and 13 per cent saying they had more faith in Facebook.

But all of the companies rated higher than traditional media, the research concluded.

One in five young adults, aged between 18 and 29, said they had higher trust levels in Facebook.

Meanwhile, 15 per cent of young people said they trusted Twitter.

The traditional media received little sympathy from the public with only eight percent of all adults and six percent of young adults saying they trusted them.

John Zogby, CEO of Zogby International, a market research company which conducted the research, said big companies have had the time to build brand equity, while Facebook and Twitter do not have the corporate identity.

Asked how important online privacy was to consumers, Mr Zogby said it was huge.

"I think to a great degree, its all about privacy," he said.