Americans report high levels of concern about data privacy and security
Washington, DC, March 16, 2021 – Americans report high levels of concern about data privacy and security, according to a new Ipsos survey. More than half would support new laws and rules limiting what technology companies can do.
However, while there is bipartisan support for limiting the role of technology companies more broadly, Americans show a more mixed response if efforts to restrict technology companies were to be sponsored by either President Joe Biden or former President Donald Trump. This reveals the extent to which partisan opinion is reactive to stances taken by leaders of their own or the opposing party.
This survey also investigated how often partisans encounter stories and posts online about around the more divisive issues of the day, such as narratives claiming that COVID-19 vaccinations are harmful, among other topics.
Americans tend to report seeing the same types of posts and stories at about equal numbers on a weekly cadence, regardless of their partisan affiliation. This suggests that while the tenor of algorithm-driven social media and news echo chambers might differ across partisan lines, the content tends to be similar.
However, Republicans are significantly more likely to report seeing stories and posts that America is under attack by illegal immigration on an at least weekly basis.
Detailed Findings
- Americans report high levels about data privacy and data security, ahead of issues like the coronavirus pandemic, disinformation, political partisanship, and election fraud.
- Concerns about data privacy and security, while high across the board, are most prevalent among Republicans (87% say they are very/somewhat concerned), followed by Democrats (83% say they are very/somewhat concerned) and Independents (76% say they are very/somewhat concerned).
- While Americans are closely aligned around data privacy and data security, concern about other issues falls more unevenly across partisan lines. The greatest discrepancy in concern is evident around election fraud (79% of Republicans say they are concerned about election fraud compared to 31% of Democrats).
- Americans demonstrate high levels of favorability towards laws and rules, ahead of technology companies, regulations, the federal government, the news media and social media companies.
- There is bipartisan favorability for laws and rules, but favorability becomes significantly more mixed around other areas – notably around the news media, the federal government, and regulations.
- While 74% of Republicans are favorable towards rules and laws, just 49% are favorable towards regulations.
- Americans have a very low opinion of social media companies, at just 36% favorability overall. On this point, partisan opinion is split with 24% of Republicans favorable towards social media companies compared to 51% of Democrats.
- While more than half of Americans (57%) support the concept of new rules and laws limiting what technology companies can do, opinion grows divided when political figures enter into the equation.
- If the rules and laws limiting what technology companies can do were to be proposed by former President Donald Trump, Republicans grow more supportive of the concept while Democrats oppose it.
- The reverse is true if the rules and laws were to be proposed by President Joe Biden.
- When it comes to social media echo chambers, the survey suggests that Americans are at least seeing posts and stories around the same general topics at a similar cadence, with one notable exception. Half of Republicans (50%) report seeing posts and stories about the dangers of illegal immigration on an at least weekly basis, compared to 32% of Democrats.
For full results, please refer to the attached annotated questionnaire.
About the Study
These are the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted between March 9-11, 2021. For this survey, a sample of 2000 adults age 18-65 from the continental U.S., Alaska, and Hawaii was interviewed online in English. The poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points for all respondents.
The sample was randomly drawn from Ipsos’ online panel, partner online panel sources, and “river” sampling and does not rely on a population frame in the traditional sense. Ipsos uses fixed sample targets, unique to each study, in drawing a sample. After a sample has been obtained from the Ipsos panel, Ipsos calibrates respondent characteristics to be representative of the U.S. Population using standard procedures such as raking-ratio adjustments. The source of these population targets is U.S. Census 2018 American Community Survey data. The sample drawn for this study reflects fixed sample targets on demographics. Posthoc weights were made to the population characteristics on gender, age, race/ethnicity, region, and education.
Statistical margins of error are not applicable to online non-probability polls. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error and measurement error. Where figures do not sum to 100, this is due to the effects of rounding. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll has a credibility interval of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points for all respondents. Ipsos calculates a design effect (DEFF) for each study based on the variation of the weights, following the formula of Kish (1965). This study had a credibility interval adjusted for design effect of the following (n=2000, DEFF=1.5, adjusted Confidence Interval=+/-4.0 percentage points).
For more information on this news release, please contact:
Chris Jackson
Senior Vice President, US
Public Affairs
+1 202 420-2025
Kate Silverstein
Media Relations Specialist, US
Public Affairs
+1 718 755-8829
About Ipsos
Ipsos is the world’s third largest Insights and Analytics company, present in 90 markets and employing more than 18,000 people.
Our passionately curious research professionals, analysts and scientists have built unique multi-specialist capabilities that provide true understanding and powerful insights into the actions, opinions and motivations of citizens, consumers, patients, customers or employees. We serve more than 5000 clients across the world with 75 business solutions.
Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos is listed on the Euronext Paris since July 1st, 1999. The company is part of the SBF 120 and the Mid-60 index and is eligible for the Deferred Settlement Service (SRD).
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