Trust of government agencies drops, but folks still love the USPS

There is a new indication that Americans' trust of government agencies is dropping. The exception: Americans still love the U.S. Postal Service. Other agencies they appreciate: The Federal Trade Commission and the Internal Revenue Service.

The ones Americans don't appreciate include the Customs and Border Protection and Citizenship and Immigration Services, though the Census Bureau has also seen a dramatic drop in respect.

The ratings come from the Ponemon Institute which yesterday released its annual survey showing how well Americans perceive government agencies handle the challenge of keeping personal information private. Ponemon surveys 9,000 consumers asking them about 75 federal agencies.

Overall, the average approval rating for trust of government agencies dropped to 38% this year, down from 50% in 1009.