Apple Privacy Issues: When it comes to privacy, every company wants to be known as one of the most trusted in its industry. However, some companies simply don’t live up to expectations in this department. Unfortunately for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), the Cupertino-based company is not among the 20 most trusted for privacy as ranked by the Ponemon Institute’s 2012 list.
Here is a brief rundown from AppleInsider of where Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has ranked in the past:
“The iPhone maker, once listed in the top ten most trusted companies, fell six spots this year to land at number 21, according to the latest rankings of the 2012 Most Trusted Companies list published its this week. The annual study asked participants to name the companies they believed most trustworthy in protecting the privacy of their personal information.”
If Apple is not in the top 20, you may be wondering which companies did make the list. Here is a list of the top 10: American Express, Hewlett Packard, Amazon, IBM, US Postal Service, Procter & Gamble, USAA, Nationwide, eBay, and Intuit.
For those who are interested in learning more about the study and reviewing the results, visit the official page here.
Here is the executive summary, showing how the information was compiled:
“Ponemon Institute’s Most Trusted Companies for Privacy Study1 is an objective study that asks consumers to name and rate organizations they believe are most committed to protecting the privacy of their personal information. This annual study tracks consumers’ rankings of organizations that collect and manage their personal information.”
“More than 100,000 adult-aged consumers were asked to name up to five companies they believe to be the most trusted for protecting the privacy of their personal information. Consumer responses were gathered over a 15-week period concluding in December 2012 and resulted in a final sample of 6,704 respondents who, on average, provided 5.4 discernible company ratings that represent 25 different industries.”
Does this mean Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) cannot be trusted for privacy? Of course not. It simply means that the study shows other companies that have a higher trust rating at the present time.
The AppleInsider piece goes on to add the following regarding Apple’s attempt to focus on privacy:
“User privacy has long been a point of pride for Apple, and the company has gone to some lengths to protect that privacy. Last year, CEO Tim Cook reportedly “grilled” Path co-founder Dave Morin when it was revealed that the app was uploading users’ address books without their permission.”
How do you feel about Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s dedication to privacy?
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DISCLOSURE: I have no positions in any stock mentioned.
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