IBM today was honored as one of the most trusted companies by U.S. consumers when it comes to securing and protecting the privacy of their personal information, according to a survey from privacy and information management research firm Ponemon Institute.

IBM ranked #4 overall in Ponemon's 2012 Most Trusted Companies for Privacy study, marking the seventh consecutive year that IBM placed in the top ten most trusted companies, according to survey results.

"IBM is honored to be recognized by consumers as a company that can be trusted to protect the security and privacy of their personal information," said Christina Peters, chief privacy officer at IBM. "As individuals embrace advances in technology and social media, they are increasingly concerned with exposing and sharing their sensitive information. IBMers around the world are committed to developing and applying new techniques and best practices that protect privacy while enabling organizations to derive insight and value from their data."

IBM has pioneered many privacy advancements, including being the first company to adopt a global privacy code of conduct; first to adopt a genetic non-discrimination policy; and first major corporation to appoint a Chief Privacy Officer. IBM has long been a leading supporter of balanced commercial privacy policy frameworks that enable organizations to analyze and share information responsibly.

In addition to ranking the most trusted companies, the Ponemon study reported that only 41 percent of consumers feel they have control over their personal information, down from 45 last year and an overall drop from 56 percent in 2006. The survey also noted that identity theft is a top area of concern among consumers with fifty-nine percent of the respondents indicating that fear of identity theft was a major factor in brand trust diminishment, while 50 percent said notice of a data breach was a factor.

The Ponemon rankings were derived from a survey of more than 100,000 adult-aged consumers who 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.