America’s trust in technology companies is plummeting: study

America is unfriending Big Tech.

Public trust in companies like Facebook and Google has nosedived over the past four years, with a third of all Americans saying big tech firms have a negative impact on the country, according to the Pew Research Center survey released Monday.

In 2015, only 17% of Americans thought tech companies were bad, the research by the nonpartisan group found.

But in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal and the Russian-led Facebook misinformation campaign during the 2016 presidential election, confidence in them has tumbled.

Today, only 50% of people believe the big tech firms have a positive impact on the States — down from 71%.

The analysis is based on telephone interviews with 1,500 adults conducted between July 10-15.

According to the survey, opinions appear to run along political lines — with Democrat-leaning respondents more likely than Republicans to say these firms have a positive impact on the way things are going in the country.

But since 2015, there have been similar declines in positive views among members of both parties.

Earlier this month, the Federal Trade Commission slapped Facebook with a record-setting $5 billion fine over its privacy lapses, including a massive data leak to political research firm Cambridge Analytica.

The Pew Research Center survey asks Americans about the impact of seven major institutions — from banks to universities, media and religious organizations.

A 2018 study from the center found a majority of Americans (55%) also believed tech companies had too much power and influence.

Another 72% said social media websites intentionally censored political viewpoints they objected to.

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