Americans Want to Protect Speech Over Giving Government Power to Censor ‘Disinformation’: Poll

Americans say they are concerned about the spread of fake news, but about 8 in 10 say they prefer freedom of speech that allows false information rather than allowing government censorship in an attempt to stop it. 

A survey of 1,000 registered voters found 85% believed it’s a “better approach” to allow free speech even if the speech is “sometimes offensive and inaccurate” than to allow the government to decide what speech is allowed, according to an RMG Research survey commissioned by the Napolitan Institute. Another 7% said the government should decide. 

Similarly, 79% said it was “more important” to allow all voices to be heard than to limit speech to prevent the spread of disinformation. However, 13% said preventing the spread of disinformation is more important.

Still, the poll also found that 73% say they are worried that allowing such free speech will be used to spread disinformation and fake news. Among Democrats, it’s an overwhelming 84% who are worried. It’s also a substantial 65% of Republicans. 

The poll released on Monday was conducted from April 30-May 1. 

Under the Biden administration, the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department had initiatives focused on preventing what the federal government designated “misinformation” or “disinformation.”

Last July, the United Nations issued what it called an “urgent call” to governments and companies to step up and stop the spread of “misinformation,” “disinformation,” and “hate speech.”

On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order asserting, “Government censorship of speech is intolerable in a free society.” 

Last week, the White House’s budget proposal to Congress included a request to eliminate the disinformation offices and programs at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

However, Trump’s critics have noted that since taking office, the administration has not defended opposing viewpoints, citing the administration’s threat to take away federal funding from schools that maintained diversity, equity, and inclusion policies; its downgrading of The Associated Press’ access to Oval Office events over the AP’s refusal to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America after Trump’s order renaming it; and the administration’s visa revocation and deportation proceedings against a Syrian-born graduate student at Columbia University over his involvement in antisemitic protests. 

The survey found that 71% of Americans are worried about government efforts to restrict free speech; of that, 45% are “very worried.” 

By a margin of 60% to 34%, voters say they are more worried about the government deciding which news and information should be allowed than they are about disinformation and fake news.

Meanwhile, the poll showed that 56% believe the federal government regularly promotes disinformation and fake news to promote its own agenda, while 18% disagreed.