3 in 10 Young Americans and Mostly Democrats Support Government Cameras Installed in American Households, Survey Says

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

In a society increasingly shaped by technology and security concerns, a concerning trend is emerging among younger generations in the United States.

While most Americans across all demographic groups oppose government surveillance in their homes, there is a higher acceptance of such measures among younger individuals willing to trade freedom and privacy for enhanced security and protection.

In a newly released national survey conducted by the CATO Institute, it has been revealed that almost a third of young Americans (Gen Z) favor the installation of government surveillance cameras in every household.

The survey included 2,000 participants and examined public attitudes toward the government’s potential role in reducing “domestic violence, abuse, and illegal activities.”

The results of the survey indicated that only 14 percent of Americans in total supported the idea of government surveillance cameras in homes. The majority, 75 percent, opposed the notion, with 68 percent expressing strong opposition. A small fraction of respondents, 10 percent, remained undecided on the matter.

The study results revealed those under 30 were most likely to approve government-installed monitoring cameras in private homes.

“However, Americans under the age of 30 stand out when it comes to George Orwell’s 1984‐​style in-home government surveillance cameras. 3 in 10 (29 percent) Americans under 30 favor “the government installing surveillance cameras in every household” in order to “reduce domestic violence, abuse, and other illegal activity.” Support declines with age, dropping to 20 percent among 30–44-year-olds and dropping considerably to 6 percent among those over the age of 45,” according to the study.

The survey findings indicate that support for government surveillance in homes varied among different demographic groups. African Americans (33 percent) and Hispanic Americans (25 percent) displayed higher levels of support compared to White Americans (9 percent) and Asian Americans (11 percent).

In terms of political affiliation, Democrats (17 percent) were slightly more likely than Republicans (11 percent) to favor in-home surveillance. Democrats who identified as “very liberal” exhibited the lowest support at 9 percent, while “liberal” Democrats were more than twice as likely to favor the idea at 19 percent. Interestingly, there was no significant divide between men (15 percent) and women (13 percent) on this issue.

This post was originally published on this site