Do they want these activities to stop, though, or do they just want them to be done better in some way?
Questions about privacy are tricky, because what exactly do people mean? You and I probably think that "privacy" means the government doesn't collect our info. But I've seen a lot of people defend the NSA on the basis that their strict controls mean their surveillance isn't a privacy breach in the first place.
I also don't think the question about approval of the NSA's activities is all that useful here. When people disapprove, do they disapprove because they think it shouldn't be done at all, or because they think the NSA isn't doing it properly in some way?
I think there are a lot of people who believe that broad surveillance to combat terrorism are a good thing, that if done properly would not harm privacy or civil liberties, and that the NSA's current approach is in some way less than perfect. (Note that I don't agree with any of this.)
Now, I realize I have no actual data to back this up. And while I don't trust polls to be accurate (they can be reasonably accurate about the question they're asking, but the exact wording of the question is hugely important and trying to extrapolate beyond precisely what is said is tough), I have to admit that this poll does suggest I'm wrong. But I don't think it disproves my idea.
Questions about privacy are tricky, because what exactly do people mean? You and I probably think that "privacy" means the government doesn't collect our info. But I've seen a lot of people defend the NSA on the basis that their strict controls mean their surveillance isn't a privacy breach in the first place.
I also don't think the question about approval of the NSA's activities is all that useful here. When people disapprove, do they disapprove because they think it shouldn't be done at all, or because they think the NSA isn't doing it properly in some way?
I think there are a lot of people who believe that broad surveillance to combat terrorism are a good thing, that if done properly would not harm privacy or civil liberties, and that the NSA's current approach is in some way less than perfect. (Note that I don't agree with any of this.)
Now, I realize I have no actual data to back this up. And while I don't trust polls to be accurate (they can be reasonably accurate about the question they're asking, but the exact wording of the question is hugely important and trying to extrapolate beyond precisely what is said is tough), I have to admit that this poll does suggest I'm wrong. But I don't think it disproves my idea.