The majority of U.S. adults feel that the government's anti-terrorist programs have taken only a little (26 percent) or none (35 percent) of their own personal privacy away. Furthermore, leading up to the November elections the Bush administration gets somewhat high marks for what it has done to prevent new terrorist attacks in the U.S.
These are the results of a nationwide Harris Poll of 1,018 adults surveyed by telephone by Harris Interactive September 9-13, 2004.
Some of the key findings are:
• By 67 to 28 percent, a majority of adults feel that it is very (17 percent) or somewhat (50 percent) likely that there will be a major terrorist attack in next twelve months.
• The Bush administration receives a 62 to 37 percent positive rating on the job it has done in preventing a new terrorist attack. This is down from February when a 70 to 30 percent majority felt this way.
• Only 17 percent of U.S. adults feel that the government's anti- terrorist program has taken quite a lot or a great deal of their own personal privacy away up slightly from 14 percent in February. Another 21 percent feel they've lost a moderate amount of privacy, similar to how they felt in February (22 percent).
• Overall, a 77 percent majority feels confident that U.S. law enforcement agencies will use their expanded surveillance powers in a proper way. This is virtually unchanged from February though lower than the September 2001 results (87%).
Many of the questions in this survey have been asked on several occasions since the September 2001 attacks. It is not surprising that though most continue to show very strong support for tough surveillance measures, percentages are down from the marks taken right after September 2001. Some other results are:
• Two-thirds (67 percent) percent favor "closer monitoring of banking and credit card transactions" up slightly from 64 percent in February (and down from 81 percent in September 2001).
• Six in ten (60 percent) favor "adoption of a national I.D. system for all U.S. citizens" up from February's 56 percent (down from 68 percent in September 2001).
• Those who favor "law enforcement monitoring of Internet discussions" has increased significantly from 50 percent earlier this year to a current 59 percent. This is only somewhat lower than the 63 percent who felt this way in September 2001.
• Those who favor "expanded government monitoring of cell phones and email" have risen to 39 percent, with 56 percent opposed. In February this year, a somewhat lower 36 percent minority favored this. Others with little change include:
• 83 percent continue to favor "stronger document and physical security checks for travelers," basically unchanged since February (93 percent in September 2001).
• 82 percent continue to support "expanded undercover activity to penetrate groups under suspicion," up from 80 percent in the February poll (93 percent in September 2001).
• 60 percent continue to support "expanded camera surveillance on streets and in public places," virtually unchanged since February (63 percent in September 2001).
Notwithstanding this strong support for tough surveillance measures and overall confidence that law enforcement will use its expanded powers in a proper way, majorities continue to have at least moderate reservations that judges, law enforcement agencies, Congress and the White House might abuse these powers in hypothetical situations.
