As Canada’s Privacy Commissioner slams Facebook for failing to comply with privacy laws, the 2019 CanTrust Index reports Canadians’ trust in Facebook has fallen significantly since 2017.
Run by Proof, a consulting and PR firm, the CanTrust Index is an annual study of Canadians’ trust in institutions and corporations.
According to the study, 51 percent of Canadians said they trusted Facebook in 2017. That’s fallen significantly, to just 28 percent of Canadians saying they trust Facebook now.
Considering the recent scandals, as well as the Privacy Commissioner’s report that was released on April 25th, it’s no surprise that trust in Facebook has eroded.
This makes Facebook the least trusted network, according to the study. LinkedIn is the most trusted, with 88 percent of Canadians saying they believed the information on the social network.
Despite the low trust in Facebook, when asked what their preferred platform for seeking information was, 36 percent of Canadians said Facebook. YouTube came in second place at 15 percent, followed by Twitter at eight percent and Instagram at seven.
YouTube was preferred in Western Canada, especially in Vancouver and Edmonton, but Ontarians preferred Twitter and Instagram.
Finally, the study notes that only 2 in 5 Canadians trust the information they’re reading.
Despite waning trust and an impending U.S. Federal Trade Commission fine of $3 to $5 billion USD (about $4.04 to $6.7 billion CAD), Facebook’s stock jumped and continues to rise after it announced a 26 percent year-over-year increase in revenue.
The 2019 CanTrust Index was based on an online survey of a sample of 1,543 Canadians aged 18 and up. The study ran from January 7th to 24th, 2019. Further, Proof says it’s nationally representative by region, age and gender.
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