Poll: Most in US favor new limits on surveillance

Fifty-six percent of people in the United States say that federal courts should impose tougher restrictions on the government's ability to collect phone and Internet data, according to a poll from the Pew Research Center.

The poll, which was released on July 26, shows a dramatic swing in public opinion in recent years in favor of stronger civil liberty protections. The poll found that 43 percent of Republicans and 42 percent of Democrats believe that anti-terror policies have gone too far in restricting civil liberties. Only 25 percent of Republicans and 33 percent of Democrats held the same view in 2010. The study found a lack of trust in the official government position on the anti-terror surveillance programs. Only 22 percent said they believe the government uses the data only for anti-terror purposes, while 70 percent said they believe the information is being used for other purposes as well.