Pew Research: 72% of Americans Believe Social Media Companies Hold Too Much Power in Politics

A recent study published by the Pew Research Center states that the majority of Americans surveyed believe that social media firms wield too much power in the world of politics. 72 percent of Americans believe companies like Facebook, Google, and Twitter are too powerful, including 63 percent of Democrats.

A report published in Pew Research’s blog Fact Tank reveals that the majority of Americans surveyed believe that social media companies have too much influence in politics. 72 percent of U.S. adults reportedly believe that social media companies have too much power in politics and around half believe that major tech firms should be regulated more than they currently are.

The survey was conducted between June 16 and June 22 and found that majorities of both Republicans and Democrats believe that social media companies wield too much power but that Republicans are more likely to express this view. Around eight-in-ten Republicans (82 percent) think that the companies have too much power and influence in politics compared to 63 percent of Democrat voters.

 

47 percent of the public reportedly believes that the government should step in to regulate major tech firms more than they currently are. These views generally match up with a similar Pew survey from 2018, the Center notes however that there have been notable shifty by party and ideology since then.

Around 48 percent of Republicans and 46 percents of Democrats now agree that the government should regulate big tech firms to a greater degree, this change has been mostly as a result of declining support from Democrats for increased regulation which dropped 11 percentage points since e2018. Republicans’ views on the issue are approximately the same as they were two years ago.

Read the full report at Pew’s Fact Tank here.

Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship. Follow him on Twitter @LucasNolan or contact via secure email at the address lucasnolan@protonmail.com