Poll shows support for government role in policing the Internet
A new survey by the Markle Foundation, a private philanthropic organization that focuses on media issues, shows a public growing more sophisticated in its views on setting rules for the Internet, even giving the government a role. Markle’s research shows a public that likes a lot of what the Internet has to offer yet is still concerned about much of the Internet’s content. The results also suggest that much of the public wants solutions with more substance than slogans.
Americans like the Internet, but …
The report, Toward a Framework for Internet Accountability, shows that more and more of the public uses the Internet and holds largely favorable views about it. The results show about two-thirds of the American public goes online, and the vast majority (more than eight in 10) of Internet users approve of the experience. Also, the favorable ratings given the Internet experience cut across all age groups, from those age 65 and older, to twenty-somethings. The explanation of this favorable view may come from the public’s characterization of the Internet more as a library rather than a shopping center or bank or investment house.
But just as one does not believe everything printed and stored at a library, Americans question much of what they see online. By a three-to-one margin (70-23 percent), respondents agree with the statement, “you have to question the truthfulness of most things you read on the Internet,” as opposed to “you can trust most things you read on the Internet.”
Who do you hold responsible?
One of the big problems with the Internet noted by Americans is the lack of accountability. Respondents were almost evenly divided over whether the Internet is a medium accountable to the public, with 42 percent agreeing with the idea and 47 percent opposed. Part of this concern stems from the belief that individual Internet users have fewer rights and protections than their counterparts in the off-line world. About half (54%) disagree with the statement they have the same rights and protections when they use the Internet as in comparable off-line activities, compared to about a third (36%) who agree with the idea. On this issue, however, a slim majority of respondents (51 to 44%) calling themselves Internet experts believe they have the same rights and protections online, which one might expect since this group is better able to protect itself than the average online users.
Other results support the need for better accountability, but also show a public recognizing the difficulty of the task. Respondents were almost evenly divided (48 to 49%) in agreeing with the statement “the Internet will always be a risky place where people have to watch out for their own interests,” as opposed to, “people have to watch out for themselves, but with additional laws and protections the Internet could be a much safer place.” However, about half of the overall respondents and Internet users (49 and 53% respectively) characterized the Internet as “impossible to govern.”
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