Coronavirus pandemic blunts Americans' Big Tech backlash

By the numbers: 38% of Americans say their view of the tech industry has become more positive since the start of the outbreak, according to a Harris Poll that surveyed 2,029 adults between April 18 and 20.

• Just 9% said their view of the industry has become more negative, while 53% said it hasn't changed.
• The survey also found that 81% approve of large tech companies helping to trace contacts that users may have had with people with the virus.
• A separate survey fielded by the National Research Group found that 88% of respondents reported having a "better appreciation" for tech's positive impact on society and culture than they did before the outbreak.

The backdrop: Apple and Google earlier this month announced a Bluetooth-powered project to notify people via smartphone if they've come in contact with someone who has tested positive for the virus.

Yes, but: Another recent poll found mixed feelings when it came to Americans’ willingness to actually download a contact-tracing app and, in particular, let data from it be shared with health officials.