U.S. has changed in key ways in the past decade, from tech use to demographics
Among the changes: Smartphones and social media became the norm, church attendance fell, and same-sex marriage and legalizing marijuana gained support.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Among the changes: Smartphones and social media became the norm, church attendance fell, and same-sex marriage and legalizing marijuana gained support.
Here are some key findings about Americans’ views of government information-gathering and surveillance, drawn from Pew Research Center surveys since the NSA revelations:
Pew Research Center President Michael Dimock examines the changes – some profound, some subtle – that the U.S. experienced during Barack Obama’s presidency.
Experts are split on whether the coming years will see less misinformation online. Those who foresee improvement hope for technological and societal solutions. Others say bad actors using technology can exploit human vulnerabilities.
Many experts fear uncivil and manipulative behaviors on the internet will persist – and may get worse.
From trust in government to views of climate change, here are some of Pew Research Center’s most memorable findings of the year.
While some evidence suggests that the amount of news media coverage mirrored that of the public’s comments on the FCC’s proposed net neutrality policy changes, our analysis found that more likely drivers of comments were grassroots efforts, as well as a popular comedian’s 13-minute segment on net neutrality that aired on cable television and found a large online audience.
Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms did not provide new outlets for the discussion of the Snowden-NSA revelations. People who thought their social media friends disagreed with them were less likely to discuss the issues in person and online.
The well-educated and the well-off are more likely than others to participate in civic life online, just as those groups have always been more likely to be active in politics and community affairs offline.
People who believe their local government does a good job sharing information are more likely than others to feel satisfied with civic life.
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ABOUT PEW RESEARCH CENTER Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts.
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