Report: Key factors that are tarnishing tech companies’ reputations

As the pandemic forces Americans through a massive shift in technology use and adoption, tech companies might have plenty of reasons to be excited about the future.

However, a new report from Ketchum calls into question the market’s confidence in tech companies. From social media’s front-page troubles to growing concerns about cybersecurity and data privacy, tech companies have lost the trust they once had with consumers.

In the data published by Ketchum, positive feelings about technology’s contributions to education, work productivity and family caretaking have all fallen from their 2019 levels. In some cases, the forced adoption of new tech during the pandemic has actually hurt consumer perception about the industry.

Ketchum writes in its report:

Perceptions about technology tend to be less positive when people feel they have no choice but to use it, which was often the case during COVID-19. This phenomenon is most evident in the precipitous drop for family caregiving—from 90% in 2019 to only 58% in 2021. While technology played a priceless role in helping people care for and connect with their families during a time when physical contact was strictly prohibited, it was disdained as a poor substitute for the direct physical contact people craved.