More Americans Disapprove Than Approve of Government Collecting Phone Records

GALLUP NEWS SERVICE

PRINCETON, NJ -- A USA Today/Gallup poll conducted Friday and Saturday shows that by a 51% to 43% margin, Americans disapprove of the federal government's program to compile billions of telephone records it obtained from three of the leading telephone companies in the United States. A majority of the public believes the program violates the law, but at the same time only about one-third of Americans say they would be concerned if they knew the federal government had their phone records. Six in 10 favor congressional hearings into this government program. Following the revelation of the program, 41% of Americans now say the Bush administration "has gone too far in restricting people's civil liberties in order to fight terrorism," a slight increase from earlier this year and the highest measured in the last five years.

On Thursday, USA Today reported that the National Security Agency is maintaining a huge database of telephone records detailing calls made by U.S. telephone customers. The government uses these data to help investigate suspected terrorism threats. President Bush responded to the report by saying that the government protects Americans' privacy and does not listen to or record any telephone conversations without going through the proper channels.

Sixty-seven percent of Americans say they are following news of this story closely, explained in the USA Today/Gallup survey as follows: "As you may know, as part of its efforts to investigate terrorism, a federal government agency obtained records from three of the largest U.S. telephone companies in order to create a database of billions of telephone numbers dialed by Americans." Twenty-eight percent of Americans are following the news story very closely, while another 39% are following it somewhat closely. This is an average level of attention when compared to other prominent news events Gallup has measured over the last 15 years.

When asked for their opinions of the program, 43% of Americans say they approve, while 51% disapprove.

Based on what you have heard or read about this program to collect phone records, would you say you approve or disapprove of this government program?

Two other polls have been conducted since the news of the program became public.

A Newsweek poll conducted Thursday and Friday nights found results almost identical to the USA Today/Gallup poll in response to the following question: "As you may know, there are reports that the NSA, a government intelligence agency, has been collecting the phone call records of Americans. The agency doesn't actually listen to the calls but logs in nearly every phone number to create a database of calls made within the United States. Which of the following comes closer to your own view of this domestic surveillance program? It is a necessary tool to combat terrorism. It goes too far in invading people's privacy." Forty-one percent said it was a necessary tool, while 53% said it went too far.

An ABC News/Washington Post Poll conducted Thursday night found a more positive evaluation when asking this question: "It's been reported that the National Security Agency has been collecting the phone call records of tens of millions of Americans. It then analyzes calling patterns in an effort to identify possible terrorism suspects, without listening to or recording the conversations. Would you consider this an acceptable or unacceptable way for the federal government to investigate terrorism?" In that poll, 63% of respondents said the program was acceptable and 35% unacceptable.

It is not entirely clear why the ABC News/Washington Post one-night poll showed a larger percentage of positive responses, although the question stated that the collected phone data were analyzed "in an effort to identify possible terrorism suspects."

Because these questions are designed to measure public opinion in an area that involves two competing principles, fighting terrorism and protecting citizens' privacy, it may not be surprising that specific phrases or nuances of wording in survey questions could cause different response patterns.

Notably, the Gallup Poll finds even stronger opposition among those who are following the story very closely, with 41% approving and 58% disapproving.

There are sharp partisan divisions in support for the program. Seventy-two percent of Republicans approve and 22% disapprove. Among Democrats, just 20% approve while 76% disapprove. Independents disapprove by a 51% to 42% margin.

The poll sought to understand the reasons behind support of and opposition to the program. For example, does support stem from the belief that preventing terrorism trumps possible violations of civil liberties, or do supporters not see the program as really violating civil liberties? Among those who say they approve of the program, most (69%) cite the importance of fighting terrorism, even if civil liberties are violated. Twenty-seven percent of approvers say they don't think the program "seriously violates Americans' civil liberties." The strong support for fighting terrorism echoes the ABC News/Washington Post result.

Is that mainly because -- [ROTATED: you do not think the program seriously violates Americans' civil liberties, (or is it mainly because) you think investigating terrorism is the more important goal, even if it violates some Americans' civil liberties]?

BASED ON 349 ADULTS WHO APPROVE OF GOVERNMENT PROGRAM

Those who disapprove of the program may do so because they see it as wrong on its face, or they may see the use of it as justifiable but not under the current circumstances. Most poll respondents who disapprove of the program reject the notion that such government action can ever be justified, saying there are no circumstances in which it would be right for the government to collect private phone records.

Do you think there would ever be circumstances in which it would be right for the government to create a database of telephone records, or would it not be right for the government to do this under any circumstances?

BASED ON 411 ADULTS WHO DISAPPROVE OF GOVERNMENT PROGRAM

In an address to reporters on Thursday, President Bush insisted that government efforts to prevent terrorism adhere to the law, but did not confirm or deny the existence of the telephone record database. Most Americans, however, are skeptical of whether that program is lawful -- a majority think the program definitely (22%) or probably (32%) violates the law. Thirty-nine percent say it probably (25%) or definitely does not (14%) violate the law. Even 24% of those who approve of the program think it probably or definitely violates the law (13% disapprove of it but think the program is lawful).

Sixty-two percent of Americans favor "immediate congressional hearings to investigate the program." Sen. Arlen Specter, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has indicated he would have executives from the telephone companies involved testify before the committee.

Some have criticized the media for revealing government techniques for investigating terrorism, even though such techniques could be a violation of personal civil liberties. The poll finds Americans are divided as to whether the news media should report "information it obtains about the secret methods the government is using to fight terrorism" -- 47% say it should do so and 49% say it should not.

As the years have passed since Sept. 11, Americans have become more supportive of protecting civil liberties when the government investigates possible terrorist threats. There has been a notable shift in the public's evaluation of the Bush administration efforts in this regard. Now, for the first time, a plurality of Americans, 41%, say the administration "has gone too far in restricting people's civil liberties in order to fight terrorism." Thirty-four percent say the administration has been "about right" and 19% say it has not gone far enough.

The revelation of the telephone records program has produced only a minor change in opinion on this matter so far. In January, when the question was last asked, 40% said the administration's actions were "about right" and 38% said they had gone too far, just slightly less critical of the Bush administration than the current results. Both 2006 results are decidedly more negative than what Gallup measured in 2002 and 2003.

Personal Reaction to the Program

As was mentioned before, not every American sees the government's telephone record database as a violation of civil liberties. But that is the minority opinion. When asked if they would feel their personal privacy had been violated if their telephone companies gave their telephone records to the federal government, 57% said yes.

Even though most Americans feel the program violates the law and violates their personal privacy, relatively few say they would be concerned if they knew the government had their phone records. Only 35% say they would be concerned (including 22% who say very concerned), while 64% are not concerned that much, including 44% who say they would not be concerned at all. It's not clear whether this low level of concern stems from a belief on the part of Americans that they have nothing to hide from the government and it is unlikely that they would be the targets of an investigation, or whether, generally speaking, Americans do not see this program as a major threat to their personal freedoms.

The public expresses much more concern about possible outgrowths of the program. Roughly two in three say they are at least somewhat concerned that the government would misidentify innocent Americans as terror suspects, would listen in on domestic telephone conversations without first obtaining a warrant, and would gather other information on Americans, such as their bank records or Internet usage.

Survey Methods

These results are based on telephone interviews with a randomly selected national sample of 809 adults, aged 18 and older, conducted May 12-13, 2006. For results based on this sample, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum error attributable to sampling and other random effects is ±4 percentage points. In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.

First, thinking about how the government is dealing with the issue of terrorism,

1. Do you think the Bush administration -- [ROTATED: has gone too far, has been about right, or has not gone far enough] -- in restricting people's civil liberties in order to fight terrorism]?

2. As you may know, as part of its efforts to investigate terrorism, a federal government agency obtained records from three of the largest U.S. telephone companies in order to create a database of billions of telephone numbers dialed by Americans. How closely have you been following the news about this -- very closely, somewhat closely, not too closely, or not at all?

3. Based on what you have heard or read about this program to collect phone records, would you say you approve or disapprove of this government program?

4. Is that mainly because -- [ROTATED: you do not think the program seriously violates Americans' civil liberties, (or is it mainly because) you think investigating terrorism is the more important goal, even if it violates some Americans' civil liberties]?

BASED ON 349 ADULTS WHO APPROVE OF GOVERNMENT PROGRAM

5. Do you think there would ever be circumstances in which it would be right for the government to create a database of telephone records, or would it not be right for the government to do this under any circumstances?

BASED ON 411 ADULTS WHO DISAPPROVE OF GOVERNMENT PROGRAM

COMBINED RESPONSES (Q.3-5): BASED ON ALL AMERICANS

6. Based on what you have heard or read about this program, do you think it -- [ROTATED: definitely violates the law, probably violates the law, probably does not violate the law, (or) definitely does not violate the law]?

7. If you knew that the federal government had your telephone records, how concerned would you be -- very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned, or not concerned at all?

8. If you knew that your telephone company had provided your telephone records to the federal government as part of this program, would you feel that your personal privacy had been violated, or not?

9. Would you favor or oppose holding immediate congressional hearings to investigate this program?

Next,

10. How concerned are you that -- [ITEMS A-B ROTATED, ITEM C READ LAST] -- very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned, or not concerned at all?

A. Based on this program, the government would misidentify innocent Americans as possible terrorist suspects

B. Based on this program, the government would listen in on telephone conversations within the U.S. without first obtaining a warrant

C. The government is gathering other information on the general public, such as their bank records or Internet usage

Finally, thinking about the news media,

11. Do you think the news media should -- or should not -- report information it obtains about the secret methods the government is using to fight terrorism?