17% of UK Adults Believe Google Has Their Best Interests at Heart (opens in new tab)

(blogs.wsj.com)

39 pointscrockstar12y ago44 comments

44 comments

Here is the question and results:

http://news.sky.com/story/1084991/britons-trust-google-as-mu...

As you can see any conclusions you can draw about Google are pointless since it was specifically benchmarked against politicians, banks etc which are universally disliked.

polymatter12y ago

For convenience.

Question: "To what extent do the following have your best interests at heart?"

NHS: 37%

Police: 26%

Charities: 21%

Supermarkets: 19%

Google: 17%

Religious institutions: 17%

Building societies: 15%

Local authorities: 10%

Private healthcare firms: 9%

Facebook: 9%

Lawyers: 8%

Banks: 7%

Media: 6%

Utility companies: 6%

Insurance companies: 5%

Politicians: 3%

mrkmcknz12y ago

I can't believe banks scored as high as 7%

3 more replies

ronilan12y ago

Reads like that old joke "heaven is where the police is British and hell is where..." Ah, never mind.

new29912y ago

The only wat this is true is if 17% of people hold stock in Google. Corporations are I believe legally obliged to only have their stock holders interests at heart.

If this survey measures anythings it's just how much goodwill exists toward various organizations.

3 more replies

antihero12y ago

Honestly, I don't have the problem with the commodification of my data - if they can make money from it and provide me with things that are useful, so be it. However, I don't think many people really understand what's happening.

mike-cardwell12y ago

Presumably with the caveats: They don't leak your data, and they don't use it in any of the multitude of legal manners that you probably haven't considered but would disapprove of if you had considered them. Oh, and that the data doesn't incriminate you in something you didn't do. Basically, you're relying on a combination of the good nature of a morally neutral corporation, and luck. You may be lucky, you may not.

GhotiFish12y ago

If I can add: It shouldn't incriminate you in something you did do, as well.

because what is and isn't legal can often come down to who's taking their medication in our respective governments.

arethuza12y ago

I like the Guardian's take on this:

"After the collapse of Lehman Brothers, custard sales went through the roof as people sought refuge in nostalgia"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media-network/media-network-blog/2...

igouy12y ago

Missing "the glaringly obvious" -- custard is actual comfort food not just a yearning for past childhood.

Evbn12y ago

Comfort food is comforting because it is nostalgic.

1 more reply

gordaco12y ago

That's either a disturbing blindness or an exceedingly good PR department.

sjtgraham12y ago

Either way, it's disturbing blindness.

alan_cx12y ago

Ok, so what about the percentages of people who positively vote for political parties? Do you mock them too?

I'd say 17% is pretty decent.

2 more replies

Nux12y ago

17% is quite decent. I wonder how many think the same about Apple? It will be interesting to see the results of next year's survey.

I see a definite down-trend in trusting Google, but mostly among techies.

1 more reply

lucian190012y ago

"17% of U.K. consumers trust Google, the same as trust religious institutions"

This bit doesn't surprise me much. Many people I've talked to are rational, even disliking religion.

arethuza12y ago

Personally, I view religion in the UK as a relatively harmless social activity favoured by the elderly - a bit like bowls.

verygoodyear12y ago

Why do they put large categories such as 'Supermarkets' and 'Banks' next to specific companies like 'Google' or 'Facebook'. Surely 'Search engines' or 'Social media sites' would be more appropriate?

yen22312y ago

Because for most people, 'search engine' means Google; 'social media' means Facebook and Twitter.

Evbn12y ago

Because stupid linkbait survey.

venomsnake12y ago

On a side note 83% of UK consumers are not childishly naive ...

jdotjdot12y ago

I am both astounded and encouraged by the fact that the NHS has such a high trust rating.

I wonder how that could factor into the ongoing American health care debate.

frobozz12y ago

Really? I'm shocked and horrified that it's so low, same with the police.

Their entire purpose is the health of the nation. They have no other stakeholders. They should score close to 100%.

What do those 63% believe is at the heart of the NHS, and why? How can we fix it?

All that said, I can't imagine any private company scoring anywhere near as high as 37%, regardless of what their mission might be.

summerdown212y ago

For me, the problem is creeping privatisation. Were the NHS better funded and supported by government I would feel a lot more like it had my interests at heart.

The problem for me isn't the NHS on its own, which I think is great ... but rather political interference diluting the mission and redirecting it for economic and populist ends.

pablisco12y ago

Has anybody found the source Case Study? It's not on the mentioned companies websites.

gjhiggins12y ago

Not specifically for this source but Ipsos MORI have been asking similar questions for quite a while, the latest results are here: http://www.ipsos-mori.com/researchpublications/researcharchi...

If the subject of perceptions of trust is of interest ... I've (mostly finished) a blog post about these trust perceptions which re-presents some of the Ipsos Mori stats in support of an attempt to plumb the implications for politics and the projection of power in the UK : https://www.bel-epa.com/posts/a-legislature-of-lemons.xml

threeseed12y ago

It is obviously a broad based study. So here are a few of the other questions:

http://www.mirror.co.uk/money/personal-finance/future-britai...

crockstarOP12y ago

I don't believe the full case study has been published yet.

Tyrannosaurs12y ago

And most importantly the raw data and methodology...

Evbn12y ago

That is a rather vague question. Google has 50K hearts.

emeidi12y ago

True Beliebers

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

44 comments

threeseed12y ago

Here is the question and results:

http://news.sky.com/story/1084991/britons-trust-google-as-mu...

As you can see any conclusions you can draw about Google are pointless since it was specifically benchmarked against politicians, banks etc which are universally disliked.

polymatter12y ago

For convenience.

Question: "To what extent do the following have your best interests at heart?"

NHS: 37%

Police: 26%

Charities: 21%

Supermarkets: 19%

Google: 17%

Religious institutions: 17%

Building societies: 15%

Local authorities: 10%

Private healthcare firms: 9%

Facebook: 9%

Lawyers: 8%

Banks: 7%

Media: 6%

Utility companies: 6%

Insurance companies: 5%

Politicians: 3%

mrkmcknz12y ago

I can't believe banks scored as high as 7%

3 more replies

ronilan12y ago

Reads like that old joke "heaven is where the police is British and hell is where..." Ah, never mind.

new29912y ago

The only wat this is true is if 17% of people hold stock in Google. Corporations are I believe legally obliged to only have their stock holders interests at heart.

If this survey measures anythings it's just how much goodwill exists toward various organizations.

3 more replies

antihero12y ago

mike-cardwell12y ago

GhotiFish12y ago

If I can add: It shouldn't incriminate you in something you did do, as well.

because what is and isn't legal can often come down to who's taking their medication in our respective governments.

arethuza12y ago

I like the Guardian's take on this:

"After the collapse of Lehman Brothers, custard sales went through the roof as people sought refuge in nostalgia"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media-network/media-network-blog/2...

igouy12y ago

Missing "the glaringly obvious" -- custard is actual comfort food not just a yearning for past childhood.

Evbn12y ago

Comfort food is comforting because it is nostalgic.

1 more reply

gordaco12y ago

That's either a disturbing blindness or an exceedingly good PR department.

sjtgraham12y ago

Either way, it's disturbing blindness.

alan_cx12y ago

Ok, so what about the percentages of people who positively vote for political parties? Do you mock them too?

I'd say 17% is pretty decent.

2 more replies

Nux12y ago

17% is quite decent. I wonder how many think the same about Apple? It will be interesting to see the results of next year's survey.

I see a definite down-trend in trusting Google, but mostly among techies.

1 more reply

lucian190012y ago

"17% of U.K. consumers trust Google, the same as trust religious institutions"

This bit doesn't surprise me much. Many people I've talked to are rational, even disliking religion.

arethuza12y ago

Personally, I view religion in the UK as a relatively harmless social activity favoured by the elderly - a bit like bowls.

verygoodyear12y ago

Why do they put large categories such as 'Supermarkets' and 'Banks' next to specific companies like 'Google' or 'Facebook'. Surely 'Search engines' or 'Social media sites' would be more appropriate?

yen22312y ago

Because for most people, 'search engine' means Google; 'social media' means Facebook and Twitter.

Evbn12y ago

Because stupid linkbait survey.

venomsnake12y ago

On a side note 83% of UK consumers are not childishly naive ...

jdotjdot12y ago

I am both astounded and encouraged by the fact that the NHS has such a high trust rating.

I wonder how that could factor into the ongoing American health care debate.

frobozz12y ago

Really? I'm shocked and horrified that it's so low, same with the police.

Their entire purpose is the health of the nation. They have no other stakeholders. They should score close to 100%.

What do those 63% believe is at the heart of the NHS, and why? How can we fix it?

All that said, I can't imagine any private company scoring anywhere near as high as 37%, regardless of what their mission might be.

summerdown212y ago

For me, the problem is creeping privatisation. Were the NHS better funded and supported by government I would feel a lot more like it had my interests at heart.

The problem for me isn't the NHS on its own, which I think is great ... but rather political interference diluting the mission and redirecting it for economic and populist ends.

pablisco12y ago

Has anybody found the source Case Study? It's not on the mentioned companies websites.

gjhiggins12y ago

Not specifically for this source but Ipsos MORI have been asking similar questions for quite a while, the latest results are here: http://www.ipsos-mori.com/researchpublications/researcharchi...

threeseed12y ago

It is obviously a broad based study. So here are a few of the other questions:

http://www.mirror.co.uk/money/personal-finance/future-britai...

crockstarOP12y ago

I don't believe the full case study has been published yet.

Tyrannosaurs12y ago

And most importantly the raw data and methodology...

Evbn12y ago

That is a rather vague question. Google has 50K hearts.

emeidi12y ago

True Beliebers

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse