Executive Branch Intelligence Surveillance & Privacy

Interesting Poll Data on Attitudes Toward Snowden

Benjamin Wittes
Tuesday, June 3, 2014, 8:24 AM
From NBC News.

Published by The Lawfare Institute
in Cooperation With
Brookings

From NBC News. It shows that Snowden has improved in the public's eye--although less than I would have thought.
How would you rate your feelings toward Edward Snowden very positive, somewhat positive, neutral, somewhat negative---or---very negative? If you don't know the name, please just say so and we'll move on. 7/13^     5/14 11%       13%      TOTAL POSITIVE 36%       27%      TOTAL NEGATIVE 4%        5%       Very positive 7%        8%       Somewhat positive 25%       25%      Neutral 10%       10%      Somewhat negative 26%       17%      Very negative 28%       35%     Don’t know name/not sure Have you seen, read, or heard news coverage about a former government contractor named Edward Snowden who released information about how government agencies collect intelligence data to media outlets? (IF YES, THEN ASK) And, have you seen, read, or heard a lot or just some about this? 71%     TOTAL YES 38%    Yes, a lot 33%    Yes, just some 27%    No 2%     Not sure When it comes to Edward Snowden, the former government contractor who released information about how government agencies collect intelligence data to media outlets, do you support or oppose what he did? If you do not have an opinion either way, please just say so. 1/14^     5/14 23%          24%     TOTAL SUPPORT 38%          34%     TOTAL OPPOSE 23%          20%     Support –            4%      Lean Support –            4%      Lean Oppose 38%          30%     Oppose 37%          40%     Do not have an opinion (IF CHOICE, ASK) Now, I realize you said you do not have an opinion, but if you had to choose, which way do you lean, toward supporting or opposing what Edward Snowden did? 2%          2%       Not sure

Benjamin Wittes is editor in chief of Lawfare and a Senior Fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution. He is the author of several books.

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