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Vid: Americans Feel More Violated by Government Data Collection Than Private Data Collection—Reason-Rupe Poll, April 2014

Zach Weissmueller and Emily Ekins | 4.3.2014 4:00 PM

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"Americans make a distinction between government collection of personal data and private companies collecting personal data because they understand that private companies are using this information to sell them things, and the government is using this information to spy on them," says Reason-Rupe polling director Emily Ekins. "And they think that government spying on them is worse."

Ekins sat down Reason TV to discuss the portion of the results from the April Reason-Rupe poll focused on private and government data collection.

While a 2013 Reason-Rupe poll found that Americans actually trust the IRS and the NSA to protect their data more than they trust companies like Facebook to do so, this round of polling dug deeper and found that people tend to believe that government agencies are more likely to violate their privacy.

Watch the video above to hear Ekins delve deeper into these results.

For full poll results, check out reason.com/poll.

Approximately 1 minute long.

Produced by Zach Weissmueller. Camera by Paul Detrick.

Click the link below for downloadable versions of this video.

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NEXT: CDC Hypes 'Dramatic Increase' in Nicotine-Guzzling Children

Zach Weissmueller is a senior producer at Reason.

Emily Ekins is a research fellow and director of polling at the Cato Institute.

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  1. Fist of Etiquette   11 years ago

    The American people think that the government is more likely to violate their private data and are more concerned about that? Because I wouldn’t put it past us to think the former was the case but not be concerned about it.

  2. Paul.   11 years ago

    Vid: Americans Feel More Violated by Government Data Collection Than Private Data Collection – Reason-Rupe Poll April 2014

    That’s a welcome relief. Because frankly I was getting pretty sick of, “OMG, William Sonoma knows I bought a waffle iron last year!”

    Me: So does the NSA.

    Them: Meh.

    1. Almanian!   11 years ago

      This exactly. One of my prog friends was arguing that Best Buy getting data from my visit to their site was somehow the same as the NSA taking it.

      “I visited Best Buy willingly. I know they scam my info – whatever. If I don’t like it, I’ll stop going there.”

      “BUT THAT’S THE SAME….”

      “No. No it’s not. The government steals my information without my consent and can put me in jail and force me to buy health insurance. Best Buy CAN’T FORCE ME TO DO SHIT. And – again – I CHOSE to visit their site.”

      Fucker seemed so smart in college. Poor bastard.

      1. Almanian!   11 years ago

        …and I am VERY satisfied with my Polk audio speakers, Denon receiver and Phillips DVD/CD player.

        Whereas I am not at ALL satisfied with….just about anything I receive for my FUCKING TAX DOLLARS.

        Fuck the government. Especially NSA, you fucktarded cocksuckers.

      2. Loki   11 years ago

        Fucker seemed so smart in college.

        A lot of people who seem smart in college are actually huge dipshits.

        1. Zeb   11 years ago

          And a lot of smart people have stupid (i.e. different from yours) opinions and views about some things. Being smart is no guarantee of being right. People are really good at deluding themselves. Especially smart people.

          1. Almanian!   11 years ago

            Who are you, who is so wise in the ways of science?

        2. wareagle   11 years ago

          and college seems to have the remarkable capacity for increasing the stupid quotient.

          1. Mad Scientist   11 years ago

            People with a college degree feel encouraged to spout nonsense they’d otherwise keep to themselves because they’ve been to college, so, you know, they totally know what they’re talking about.

  3. Lord Humungus   11 years ago

    You know who else felt violated?

    1. Almanian!   11 years ago

      The Punisher?

  4. Loki   11 years ago

    they think that government spying on them is worse.

    B-b-but… TEH KKKORPORASHUNZ MITE TRY TOO SELL ME SHIT!!!111!!11!!! /derp

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