A Pew Research poll finds 71 percent of Americans are concerned about government handling of personal data.
A growing number of Americans have concerns about data privacy – a shift driven largely by increased concern among Republicans.
WHY IT MATTERS – The findings suggest policies that address personal data protection could draw bipartisan support.
THE NUMBERS – A Pew Research poll from May 15 – May 21, asked Americans if they are concerned about how the government and social media companies use their data. It revealed the following:
- 71% – are concerned about government data handling, up by 7 points since 2019
Concerns about government handling of personal data crosses party lines, particularly among Republicans:
- 77% – Republicans, up by 14 points since 2019
- 65% – Democrats, down by 1 point since 2019
Americans express similar concerns towards social media companies:
- 72% – believe social media companies should be more regulated, up by 3 points since 2019
This also crosses party lines:
- 68% – Republicans support further government regulation of social media companies, down 2 points since 2019
- 78% – Democrats support further government regulation of social media companies, down 3 points since 2019
THE BOTTOM LINE – Americans are increasingly alarmed by the government’s handling of data and are skeptical of social media company leadership.
GO DEEPER – How Americans View Data Privacy