The numbers are relatively consistent with polls taken after the Sept. 11 attacks. Poll: Most back NSA phone tracking

Most Americans are OK with government surveillance of phone calls, but oppose email monitoring, according to a new poll.

The National Security Agency’s program to track phone records was acceptable to 56 percent of those surveyed, while 41 percent said it was unacceptable, according to a Pew Research Center and Washington Post poll conducted after the program was leaked.


When asked generally about anti-terrorism efforts, 62 percent of respondents said it was more important for the government to investigate possible terror threats even if there is a tradeoff with personal privacy, and 34 percent said that privacy should be a priority, even if it inhibits terror investigations.

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Among 18- to 29-year-olds, however, the number of supporters drop to 51 percent, with 45 percent prioritizing privacy.

Americans are less comfortable with email monitoring, though, according to the poll. Asked if the government should be allowed to track email and online activity if it prevents attacks, 52 percent said no and 45 percent said yes.

The overall numbers are relatively consistent with polls taken after the Sept. 11 attacks and during the Bush administration, but the partisan split has changed.

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In 2006, Republicans supported Bush administration NSA surveillance programs 75 percent to 23 percent. In Monday’s poll, 52 percent of Republicans said current surveillance programs were acceptable and 47 percent said they were unacceptable.

Democratic numbers also swapped. In 2006, 37 percent of Democrats supported surveillance programs and 61 percent didn’t. This week’s poll showed Democrats supporting the programs 64 percent to 34 percent.

The phone poll of 1,004 adults took place June 6-9 and has an error margin of +/- 3.7 percentage points.