Technology Policy Issues

Americans have grown more divided on whether offensive content online is taken seriously enough and on which is more important online, free speech or feeling safe.

Videos from independent news producers are more likely to cover subjects negatively and discuss conspiracy theories.

38% of parents with children whose K-12 schools closed in the spring said that their child was likely to face digital obstacles in schoolwork.

73% of Americans express little or no confidence in tech companies to prevent the misuse of their platforms to influence the 2020 election.

Republicans are far more likely than Democrats to say major tech companies favor the views of liberals over conservatives. At the same time, partisans differ on whether social media companies should flag inaccurate information on their platforms.

Americans are now more likely to expect foreign election interference than they were in October 2018, when 67% expected it.

U.S. adults in this group are less likely to get the facts right about COVID-19 and politics and more likely to hear some unproven claims.

Two-thirds of parents in the U.S. say parenting is harder today than it was 20 years ago, with many citing technologies – like social media or smartphones – as a reason.

Most Americans (71%) have heard of a conspiracy theory that alleges that powerful people intentionally planned the coronavirus outbreak.

Roughly half of Americans think social media companies should be regulated more than they are now, our survey found.