Do conservatives and liberals disagree on whether they believe that the government should be regulating the internet more than it is now?
In the Center’s Digital Future Study, we found:
Most Americans do not believe that the government should increase its regulation of the internet. This view is consistent across the political spectrum.
A plurality of respondents to the Digital Future from all political orientations strongly disagree that the government should regulate the Internet more than it does now. This includes:
- 29.3% of middle-of-the roaders
- 40.6% of those who are somewhat liberal
- 41.6% of those who are somewhat conservative
- 43.6% of those who are very conservative, and
- 52% of those who are very liberal
Simple disagreement was stated by:
- 14.8% of the very liberal
- 21.5% of the somewhat conservative
- 21.9% of the somewhat liberal
- 22.7% of the very conservative, and
- 23.8% of those in the middle-of-the-road
However, a small, but not insignificant, percentage of people believe that the government should more actively regulate the internet. Those agreeing with this notion include:
- 9.9% of the very conservative
- 10.6% of the somewhat conservative
- 11.2% of the very liberal
- 17.9% of the somewhat liberal, and
- 19.4% of those in the middle-of-the-road.
Strong agreement with increased government regulation of the internet was endorsed by:
- 4.5% of the somewhat liberal
- 6.5% of those in the middle-of-the-road
- 6.6% of the very conservative
- 6.9% of the somewhat conservative, and
- 7.1% of the very liberal
Overall, those people whose political orientation is middle-of-the-road are most likely to favor and least likely to oppose increased government regulation of the internet. Those with liberal sentiments are the most likely to oppose increased government regulation, and second most likely to favor it. And conservatives are least likely to favor more government action, and second most likely to oppose it.
__________
See all Web Insights.
December 6, 2017