No, this morning's blog post doesn't have anything to do with database tips or data management advice, but it sure does have a lot to do with the issue of privacy around data collection, storage and use. Everyone wants to ensure no one's confidential information gets lost, leaked or used maliciously and business data remains proprietary.

So when a database and data center player is heralded for being truthworthy it's certainly worth blogging about.

That's the case today as IBM has been cited in Ponemon's latest annual "Most Trusted Companies for Privacy" study as a company most trusted by U.S. consumers when it comes to securing and protecting personal information.

IBM is the top-rated IT vendor on the list and is ranked No. 2 overall and it's the third consecutive year that IBM has attained such accolade.

"We are honored to be recognized by consumers as the most trusted business-to-business company in Ponemon Institute's survey," said Harriet Pearson, VP, security counsel and chief privacy officer at IBM in a statement.

"As data rapidly moves from the desktop to the cloud, consumers are more aware and concerned than ever about the security and privacy of their personal and sensitive information. IBMers worldwide are committed to delivering trusted and secure technologies, services and solutions that protect the privacy of our clients' most valuable and critical assets and operations," noted Pearson.

The Ponemon study also offered up some interesting stats around how users view personal and confidential data:

• Just 41 percent polled believe they have control over their personal information, down from 45 percent in 2009, and an overall drop from 56 percent back in 2006.
• Identity theft remains a primary concern, with 59 percent of the respondents indicating that fear of identity theft was a major factor in brand trust diminishment, and 50 percent said notice of a data breach was a factor.

"The security of personal information is more important than ever to consumers and brand trust is closely associated with whether or not individuals believe that a company can provide privacy protection," said Larry Ponemon, chairman and founder, Ponemon Institute, in a press release.