MuhammedAlimaki/Depositphotos.com
September 12, 2025
How Can Meta, X, and TikTok Regain Consumer Trust?
As social media ads proliferate, targeting customers via algorithmic means, a divide between the platforms and the consumers participating on them may be in evidence — at least according to a study provided to Chain Store Age by Liquid Web.
Only a very tiny cohort (14%) of those surveyed indicated that they felt confident that their personal data was handled securely when shared with a company, with healthcare leading the most trusted industries at over half of respondent support (55%).
By contrast, social media had a staggering lead ahead of the pack in terms of producing a lack of consumer trust, with more than three-quarters (76%) of those polled saying there were trust issues present there. E-commerce (49%) and tech platforms were next in line for criticism coming from U.S. shoppers as being perceived to handle data irresponsibly.
Meta, X, and TikTok Named Least Trusted Consumer-Facing Companies Collecting Information
In a further breakdown of the data, CSA senior editor Dan Berthiaume provided a list of the top 10 least trusted consumer-facing companies which frequently collect personal and financial data, per the poll results.
- Meta: 56% of respondents indicated a lack of trust.
- X: 45%
- TikTok: 44%
- Google: 24%
- Amazon: 22%
- DoorDash: 17%
- McDonald’s: 17%
- Uber Eats: 16%
- Netflix: 15%
- Microsoft: 15%
Conversely, a list of the top 10 most trusted companies follows. Interestingly enough, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft appear on both lists: Notably, payment processors and financial institutions demonstrably lead the list.
- PayPal: 45%
- Capital One: 32%
- Chase: 30%
- Amazon: 28%
- Apple: 26%
- Venmo: 22%
- Zelle: 22%
- Google: 22%
- Amex: 20%
- Microsoft: 20%
Gen Z, Millennial Consumers Exhibit Higher Levels of Brand Trust, But Vetting (and Burner Accounts) Remain Key
According to the survey results, Gen Z (45%) and millennial (41%) shoppers exhibited the highest degree of brand trust, but those same demographics also showed more prevalence than other age cohorts to personally vet brands (TikTok being named) after exposure to them, with Gen Z being most likely to create a burner account to interact with a site they lacked trust in.
Finally, when it comes to engendering trust with consumers, a clear delineation as to how data will be used was cited as the most important factor (60%); trailed by an SSL certificate being present (54%); the brand itself being recognizable or well-known (45%); clear return, refund or cancellation policies (42%); and a familiar checkout experience (40%). On the other hand, factors which raised suspicion included an unusual or misspelled domain name (74%); a lack of proper grammar or spelling on a site (73%); intrusive or unnecessary requests for personal data (72%); a lack of clear and identifiable company contact information (62%); or prices that seemed “too good to be true” (60%).
Discussion Questions
Are social media companies doing enough to assure consumers on their platforms that their data, and purchases, are protected? If so, how can they improve sentiment around the issue? If not, what can they do to enhance standards?
What insights can be gleaned from the data as presented? Are the ad partners / brand partners that Meta, X, and TikTok have chosen to partner with responsible for shouldering at least part of the ‘blame’ for low trust scores?
Poll
Loading …BrainTrust
Paula Rosenblum
Co-founder, RSR Research
Scott Benedict
Founder & CEO, Benedict Enterprises LLC
Neil Saunders
Managing Director, GlobalData
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This seems to phrase concerns in terms of technical issues; I really doubt that’s the main problem: what’s not trusted is management, and their integrity (or lack of it). And IMO they’ve earned every bit of that mistrust…and then some! Short of a complete separation of the parties involved from the platforms, I zee zero chance of any improvement.
No, they are not. Facebook ads still lead me down bad actor rabbit holes and they have to know, but take their money. I don’t even want them to have my phone number.
I will confess that I only use X for customer complaints now, so I can’t comment a lot on that one, and I don’t trust them anyway.
and my use of TikTok is limited to just browsing so I see no harm coming from that quarter. To me, a lot of the TikTok paranoia is xenophobia.
X..until they sell the company or otherwise completely divest themselves of Musk, cannot be trusted. Ever.
and Meta is great for connecting with old friends and that’s about it.
It’s pretty clear: social media companies are not doing enough to make consumers feel confident that their data and purchases are protected. The data shows only 14% of those surveyed believe their personal data is handled securely on platforms, whereas 76% express distrust toward social media specifically. That level of distrust suggests that current privacy policies, transparency efforts, or security assurances aren’t getting through.
To improve sentiment, platforms need to visibly strengthen safeguards: clearer disclosures about how data is used, tighter controls over who accesses it, stronger encryption and certification protocols, simpler and more transparent dispute and refund processes, and faster responsiveness when breaches or misuses happen. Also, brand recognition and reliable checkout experiences were noted as trust builders—things like recognizable brands and well-known payment systems help reduce consumer uncertainty.
From the data, several insights emerge: younger consumers (Gen Z, millennials) are more willing to trust, but they also do more vetting—including creating burner accounts—when they don’t trust a brand. Meta is viewed as the least trusted among the named platforms (56% lack of trust), followed by X and then TikTok.
As for ad or brand partners: yes, they share in the blame. If a social media platform allows under-scrutinized advertisers, misleading promotions, or data-misusing third parties, it reflects badly on the platform. Brand partners who cut corners—on misleading claims, poor data handling, or shady terms—erode trust not just in themselves but in the entire ecosystem. Platforms need to be stricter in vetting partners, enforcing compliance, and penalizing violations.
Well considering they don’t feel confident, a heck of a lot of people still use them. I have to question whether the responses are based on vague feelings or actual concrete examples of how data are being abused. My guess would be the former.
I looked at it differently. Do I want to use them? Why not (in some cases). Do I trust them with sensitive data? Nope. But I really treasure staying in touch with old friends. And if we remember that we’re retailers, no I don’t trust them At all
Exactly. We all know now that trust and privacy do not exist on the internet in any form. But, as you say…a lot of people use these sites. The platforms know that. The platforms are only interested in clicks and eyeballs…trust and privacy are only talking points for Congressional hearings and nothing more.
I had a similar question, as the NOT trusted list did not include medical insurance companies… the ones with the damaging data breaches that happen consistently over decades. (Blue Shield, Anthem, eic)
Chain Store Age survey…
“Respondents also rated the factors that make them feel a website is trustworthy or suspicious in its handling of their data”
I don’t disagree with any of the reasons social channels are causing customers to mistrust them. Once a customer interacts and shows interest with a product on a website, it mysteriously (at least the customer thinks so) shows up in the social channel feeds. The same is true with the ads in the social channel. A customer shows just a little curiosity, and the next thing you know, ads seem to show up “everywhere.” While customers should be aware that their interest is like serving a pork chop to a pitball, the social channels could do more to help customers understand why this happens and how to avoid it, if they don’t want it, in the future.
Social media giants have removed or ignored safeguards that protect user data. They design the user experience to maximize addictiveness so we spend more time scrolling.
Regaining trust demands honesty and transparency. Sentiment will improve when leading platforms take steps to protect people over profit.
Trust is earned.
These public companies have stakeholders beyond the mass public to placate. By mass public flocking to them, they will (sadly) take that as consent. And the companies will happily pay $$$ to the govt to keep regulations at bay.
“Are social media companies doing enough to assure consumers on their platforms that their data, and purchases, are protected?”
The phrasing of this question is a little PR slanted… “enough to assure”?
The actual tech question is more important in my view. Are they doing enough to protect data end to end…from their internal misuse (or disposal) , to venor misuse, and to protection against criminal use of data.
I absolutely DO trust social media platforms to exploit my personal data without restraint in any context that can earn them a profit. The evidence of their avarice is reinforced on a daily basis in the ads and unsolicited messages that flood my devices – sometimes within minutes following an online search or view of a site.
Equally disappointing are the B2C content marketers who fuel these platforms in their spray-and-pray efforts to drive views and clicks.
Meta, X, TikTok, and other social media platforms highlight significant challenges within our digital society. Their primary business model relies on advertising revenue and a high degree of emotional manipulation of their users. Key concerns include data privacy and surveillance, stemming from the collection of personal information, as well as unclear consent processes. Content moderation presents challenges in striking a balance between protecting free speech and preventing the dissemination of harmful content. Additionally, intentional algorithmic manipulation often promotes emotionally charged content. Without fundamental changes to their business models, Meta, X, and TikTok will continue to struggle with low trust scores.