Pew Research: ‘Americans strongly favor more government regulation of consumer data’

According to a new poll from the Pew Research Center, 75% of Americans say there should be new regulations of what companies may do with personal data. 81% of the public believe that the risks of data collection by companies outweigh the benefits, and 66% say the same about government. 79% of Americans say they are at least somewhat concerned about how companies use personal data, 36% say they are very concerned. 79% of Americans say they are not confident that companies will admit mistakes and take responsibility if they misuse personal data. 70% of adults say their personal data is less secure than it was 5 years ago. Only 2% of respondents described digital privacy as "knowledge and consent." The survey results are based on a nationally representative panel of randomly selected U.S. adults. EPIC maintains an extensive page on Privacy and Public Opinion which shows consistent support among Americans for stronger privacy laws. EPIC advocates for comprehensive privacy legislation and the establishment of a U.S. data protection agency.