… It’s the rare thing that Americans of all ages and across the political spectrum largely seem to agree on: They don’t trust social media services with their information and they view targeted ads as annoying and invasive, according to a Washington Post-Schar School poll. Many Americans use social media — and most use Facebook — but 64 percent say the government should do more to rein in big tech companies.
People are caught in thrall to platforms and devices that increasingly shape the way we communicate, shop, store important information and otherwise manage the most fundamental parts of our lives. …
Despite the catchall term “Big Tech,” the biggest technology companies are not all viewed in the same negative light. The businesses that sell goods or services directly to people are viewed more favorably, like Apple and Amazon. There’s less mystery about how they’re making money off customers, and there’s not as much of a barrier between the organizations and the individuals who pay them.
It’s the social media companies, where the services are offered up ostensibly free, that unsettle Americans more. After years of privacy experts warning that “if it’s free, you’re the product,” perhaps the reality of what that really means has started to be fully absorbed. CONTINUED
Heather Kelly & Emily Guskin, Washington Post
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