this post was submitted on 30 Jan 2025
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News

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Summary

A new Common Sense Media report finds that U.S. teens overwhelmingly distrust Big Tech companies like Google, Apple, Meta, TikTok, and Microsoft.

Over 60% doubt these firms prioritize user well-being or safety over profits, and 53% believe they make unethical design choices.

Mistrust extends to AI, with 47% skeptical about responsible AI decisions. Many teens report being misled by fake content online.

Concerns about AI transparency and data privacy are widespread, with 74% calling for stronger safeguards and clearer labeling of AI-generated content.

top 25 comments
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[–] [email protected] 6 points 10 hours ago

Well, thank goodness. I got very tired of noobs trying to tell people more experienced than them what's what when it comes to things like Google Docs, assuming the alternative is Microsoft Office.

Duh, both of those things are just two different corporate options, but they think they are some vanguard for a Glorious Future to choose something like Google over M$. What the fuck are we even talking about?

And this is just one example of so fucking many. I'd love to see a lot more cynicism from teens when it comes to the tech landscape that was GIVEN to them, instead of thinking they are the ones that invented it or something and imagining "the olds" just don't get it. That's a shell game done to so many generations, time after time...the boomers probably being the original poster boys, at least done at scale.

[–] [email protected] 52 points 21 hours ago (7 children)

Can we also get 40 year old millennials to also stop trusting them?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 58 minutes ago (1 children)

What makes you think they trust them?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 42 minutes ago

As a 40 year old millennial myself I know quite a few people in my age bracket that are apathetic and misinformed about the subject. Just trying to get them to ditch Twitter is herculean.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 hours ago

been running mostly self hosted services from 2000 on ward. Some of us already know.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 hours ago

Yes, please, for the love of gawd. And I'd like to see more Gen X and boomers doing it too. Used to be boomers had a keen eye for the corporate scams.

[–] [email protected] 42 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

Don't worry there are dozens of us who don't trust big tech

[–] [email protected] 18 points 20 hours ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

“He’s a never-nude.”

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 hours ago
[–] [email protected] 18 points 21 hours ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 13 points 21 hours ago* (last edited 21 hours ago) (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 8 points 19 hours ago

I'm doing my part!

[–] [email protected] 10 points 20 hours ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 17 hours ago
[–] [email protected] 13 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago) (1 children)

Unless I'm missing something, the report lacks percentages from any point in the past, so we don't know whether trust was actually lost, or even whether there is a trend in either direction.

I hope we're getting better at raising young people with the critical thinking skills to be skeptical of big tech companies. (And all corporations, for that matter.) I hope our teens are learning to prefer technologies that serve and protect them, instead of turning them into profit sources for billionaires and influence sources for oppressive politicians.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 hours ago

I fear people like Doctorow might be right about the notion of general computing for the masses being something that falls by the wayside...even if not 100%, and not done by force, enough to be the mainstream...it seems the norm is to use prefabbed "apps" on platforms that are basically welded shut (the old joke about welding shut a car hood comes to mind).

I am cheered to see younger people doing computer hobbyist things on various Youtube channels, so it's not like it's going to die out with Gen X or something...

[–] [email protected] 12 points 21 hours ago

Sounds like they're primed for the Fediverse

[–] [email protected] 6 points 18 hours ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 15 hours ago

Yay! Young people!

[–] [email protected] 7 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

Based off the summary, it seems that AI implementation is quickly dismantling its own future. I wonder if responsible AI implementation can fix its bad reputation to the greater public.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 17 hours ago

You mean an actual finished, polished, AI product with usefulness and key privacy attributes?

Mmmmmmaybe. But the odds that extraterrestrials get tired of waiting and just show up is about the same. roughly between 0.001% and divide by zero error.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

Did they ever have any to begin with?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 20 hours ago

Probably when they were younger. Not only did they understand less about the world, but it wasn't quite as blatant.