People trust NSA more than Google, survey says

In a result consistent with previous polling, a new poll has respondents claiming they're more concerned about Google seeing all their private data than the government.

People claim to trust Google less than they trust the NSA. Are they telling the truth? TED 2014/YouTube screenshot by Chris Matyszczyk/CNET

People don't always say what they think. Especially in business and love.

Please, therefore, consider this question: whom would you trust more with your private data: the NSA, a company like Google, or your mom?

I ask because I'm looking at the results of a survey, conducted between October 9 and12, that asked just that. It asked simple questions, to which its sponsors hoped to get simple answers.

The results went like this. On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being "I am shivering uncontrollably with fear") the idea of Google or a similar concern having access to all your private data got a concerned score of 7.39.

The idea of the NSA having its eyes and hands all over you? 7.06. What about your boss snooping? That merited a mere 6.85. While the notion of your parents knowing it all got a 5.93.

Of the options open to the respondents, they were most relaxed about their spouse or significant other seeing their everyday warts. This idea scored a mere 4.55.

The survey was created by Survata, a company whose purpose is to interrupt content by asking people to complete a survey before they get the whole content. Survata claims in its methodological explanation that it carefully vets those it thinks might offer insincerity.

I wonder, however. If these results are to be believed, then humanity is rife with those who speak out of several sides of their mouth. On the one hand, we claim to fear Google most, yet we allow it, Facebook and the like to crawl over our daily routines and information like summer flies enjoying a rancid grapefruit.

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People trust NSA more than Google, survey says