Republicans and Democrats are equally supportive of a criminal case against Snowden. Poll: Most want Snowden charged

Most Americans think Edward Snowden should be pressed with criminal charges, a new survey finds.

Fifty-four percent of adults believe the federal government should move forward with a criminal case against the National Security Agency leaker, according to a Pew Research Center/USA TODAY poll out Monday. Thirty-eight percent think Snowden should not face criminal charges, with Republicans and Democrats equally supportive of a criminal case against Snowden.


When asked whether they approve or disapprove of the “government’s collection of telephone and internet data as part of anti-terrorism efforts,” 48 percent said they approve compared with 47 percent who disapprove.

Respondents were similarly divided on whether leaks about the NSA’s surveillance program serve the public interest, with 49 percent believing that they are in the public interest and 44 percent believing that they are not. The percentage of respondents supportive of Snowden’s leaks shot up among the 18-29-year-old age group, with 60 percent saying that the release of this classified information serves the public interest.

( PHOTOS: Pols, pundits weigh in on NSA report)

The poll of 1,512 American adults was conducted June 12-16 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points.