Is social media influencing over lives positively or negatively? A Wall Street Journal/NBC poll found that Americans see more problems than benefits to society, although 70% of respondents use social media sites every day.

Respondents also don’t have high trust in technology companies, rating the federal government as more trustworthy, with Facebook getting particularly low grades. This is tough news for the tech firms considering Gallup’s research on confidence in institutions. Given a list of 15 institutions, including small business, the police, and the military, Americans have consistently rated Congress last.

Discussion:

• Do these survey results surprise you? Why or why not?

• The Gallup question is different, asking about “confidence” rather than “trust.” Could the wording make a difference in responses? Why or why not?

• Evaluate these Wall Street Journal graphics. How well do they convey the information? What could be improved?