Media and Democracy: Unpacking America’s Complex Views on the Digital Public Square

Gallup and the Knight Foundation conducted a survey of US adults regarding media and democracy. Major findings include:

• US adults' attitudes go beyond party lines to fall into six groups with respect to internet regulation: Individualists, Reformers, Unfazed Digital Natives, Unplugged and Ambivalent, Traditionalists, and Concerned Spectators.
• Americans use social media sites more than any other type of website. Those who say a social media site is one of their most-used tend to go to these platforms for entertainment and to connect with others, more rather than for news.
• Americans rarely engage in politics online, and 32 percent say debates on social media make them less likely to use social media. But large numbers say these debates make them more likely to take offline action like voting or more closely following the news.
• Most Americans believe social media makes it easier for harmful and extreme viewpoints to spread. Most say they distrust what they see on social media. Black Americans are the most likely to be concerned about hate speech and abusive content.
• Among Americans, 71 percent say the internet does more to divide us than bring us together, and 62 percent say that elected officials pay too little attention to tech issues.