Jan 21, 2014
This is according to a national survey by the Pew Research Center and USA TODAY, conducted in the days immediately following Obama's speech and published Monday.
The poll, which surveyed 1,504 adults, found that 53% disapprove of the U.S. government's surveillance of telephone and internet data, while just 40% approve. This is a marked shift from July, when more than 50% said they approved and only 44% said they disapprove.
While approval rates among Democrats are slightly higher than those of Republicans, overall disapproval has increased across party lines.
The fall in support is most steep with respondents identified as African-American and Hispanic.
Almost half of those surveyed said the limits on the government's ability to collect telephone and internet data are inadequate.
Obama's much-vaunted speech on NSA reforms last Friday failed to buck this trend.
Half of those surveyed said they didn't even know about his proposed reforms, and of those who had, 73% said the proposed reforms will make "no difference" to "protections on people's privacy."
Of people aged 18-29, 57% say Snowdens revelations "served public interest" while just 35% said they caused harm. Yet, the overall public showed a near-even split on this question, with a slight majority among those who believe the revelations had a positive effect.
Meanwhile, 56% support government pursuit of a criminal case against Snowden, while 32% oppose it, with support for prosecution lowest among young respondents.
Yet, many charge that the poll shows the importance of Snowden's whistleblowing. "The poll is a very strong vindication of Edward Snowden," writes John Walker for Firedoglake. He believed the American people wouldn't approve if they knew the truth about the NSA and now that they do know they don't approve."
_____________________
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Sarah Lazare
Sarah Lazare was a staff writer for Common Dreams from 2013-2016. She is currently web editor and reporter for In These Times.
This is according to a national survey by the Pew Research Center and USA TODAY, conducted in the days immediately following Obama's speech and published Monday.
The poll, which surveyed 1,504 adults, found that 53% disapprove of the U.S. government's surveillance of telephone and internet data, while just 40% approve. This is a marked shift from July, when more than 50% said they approved and only 44% said they disapprove.
While approval rates among Democrats are slightly higher than those of Republicans, overall disapproval has increased across party lines.
The fall in support is most steep with respondents identified as African-American and Hispanic.
Almost half of those surveyed said the limits on the government's ability to collect telephone and internet data are inadequate.
Obama's much-vaunted speech on NSA reforms last Friday failed to buck this trend.
Half of those surveyed said they didn't even know about his proposed reforms, and of those who had, 73% said the proposed reforms will make "no difference" to "protections on people's privacy."
Of people aged 18-29, 57% say Snowdens revelations "served public interest" while just 35% said they caused harm. Yet, the overall public showed a near-even split on this question, with a slight majority among those who believe the revelations had a positive effect.
Meanwhile, 56% support government pursuit of a criminal case against Snowden, while 32% oppose it, with support for prosecution lowest among young respondents.
Yet, many charge that the poll shows the importance of Snowden's whistleblowing. "The poll is a very strong vindication of Edward Snowden," writes John Walker for Firedoglake. He believed the American people wouldn't approve if they knew the truth about the NSA and now that they do know they don't approve."
_____________________
Sarah Lazare
Sarah Lazare was a staff writer for Common Dreams from 2013-2016. She is currently web editor and reporter for In These Times.
This is according to a national survey by the Pew Research Center and USA TODAY, conducted in the days immediately following Obama's speech and published Monday.
The poll, which surveyed 1,504 adults, found that 53% disapprove of the U.S. government's surveillance of telephone and internet data, while just 40% approve. This is a marked shift from July, when more than 50% said they approved and only 44% said they disapprove.
While approval rates among Democrats are slightly higher than those of Republicans, overall disapproval has increased across party lines.
The fall in support is most steep with respondents identified as African-American and Hispanic.
Almost half of those surveyed said the limits on the government's ability to collect telephone and internet data are inadequate.
Obama's much-vaunted speech on NSA reforms last Friday failed to buck this trend.
Half of those surveyed said they didn't even know about his proposed reforms, and of those who had, 73% said the proposed reforms will make "no difference" to "protections on people's privacy."
Of people aged 18-29, 57% say Snowdens revelations "served public interest" while just 35% said they caused harm. Yet, the overall public showed a near-even split on this question, with a slight majority among those who believe the revelations had a positive effect.
Meanwhile, 56% support government pursuit of a criminal case against Snowden, while 32% oppose it, with support for prosecution lowest among young respondents.
Yet, many charge that the poll shows the importance of Snowden's whistleblowing. "The poll is a very strong vindication of Edward Snowden," writes John Walker for Firedoglake. He believed the American people wouldn't approve if they knew the truth about the NSA and now that they do know they don't approve."
_____________________
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.