Tech Made Simple

Hot Topics: Enter Our Apple HomePod Mini Giveaway | How to Fix Bluetooth Pairing Problems | How to Block Spam Calls | Snapchat Symbol Meaning

We may earn commissions when you buy from links on our site. Why you can trust us.

author photo

Poll: Americans Support NSA's Data-collecting Efforts

by Fox Van Allen on July 30, 2013

Poll resultsWhen news of the National Security Agency’s PRISM program broke, I assumed Americans would be outraged. After all, the government is collecting massive amounts of metadata on private citizens without any real accountability or transparency to the process. It may not quite be Big Brother, but it’d probably be enough to give George Orwell a serious case of the chills.

It turns out my initial assessment of the public's sentiment was a bit off. According to a new poll from the Pew Research Center (.pdf), 50% of Americans approve of the government’s PRISM data-collection program, with just 44% standing unopposed. 

The results of the poll closely mirror last week’s congressional vote to defund the NSA’s spying program. Rep. Justin Amash’s (R-MI) effort narrowly fell short of passing with a vote of 205 to 217.

Here’s the thing though – while America supports PRISM, it’s incredibly untrusting when it comes to the specifics of the program. A stunning 70% of those polled think the government is collecting data for purposes other than to combat terrorism. Further, 63% believe that the government isn’t just collecting metadata, but also the contents of phone calls and emails.

The poll seems to suggest that Americans rate protection from terror attacks higher than protection from the eyes of the government. But Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Mark Udall (D-CO) dispute PRISM’s success in protecting the country, writing in a joint statement that they "remain unconvinced that the secret Patriot Act collection has actually provided any uniquely valuable intelligence." Wyden and Udall have been working to scale back the government's spying efforts.

“If we don’t seize this unique moment in history to reform our surveillance laws and practices,” explains Sen. Wyden, “we will all live to regret it.” At the moment, the U.S. public seems to disagree.


Topics

Privacy, News, Computers and Software, Internet & Networking, Phones and Mobile, Blog


Discussion loading

Home | About | Meet the Team | Contact Us
Media Kit | Newsletter Sponsorships | Licensing & Permissions
Accessibility Statement
Terms of Use | Privacy & Cookie Policy

Techlicious participates in affiliate programs, including the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, which provide a small commission from some, but not all, of the "click-thru to buy" links contained in our articles. These click-thru links are determined after the article has been written, based on price and product availability — the commissions do not impact our choice of recommended product, nor the price you pay. When you use these links, you help support our ongoing editorial mission to provide you with the best product recommendations.

© Techlicious LLC.