If you watched the Republican debate last night on CNN, you saw every potential presidential candidate tell Apple to comply with the FBI. It appears that in this instance, most Americans actually agree.
According to a new poll from market research firm Morning Consult, over half of American voters believe that Apple should assist the FBI by creating software to unlock the phone of one of the San Bernardino terrorists. All 1,935 respondents were thoroughly briefed on the subject before they gave a response.
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The results of the poll show that 51% of respondents believe that Apple should comply, while only 33% disagree. The other 16% either don’t know what the two groups should do or simply don’t care.
These numbers are nearly identical to those of an earlier poll from Pew Research Center, which showed 51% of respondents siding with the FBI and 38% siding with Apple. Morning Consult appears to have delved even deeper into the issue though, as the firm also notes that 54% of its respondents believe they would be less secure if Apple, Google or other tech companies were required to hand personal information over to the government. Nevertheless, they believe it’s necessary.
The most interesting aspect of the poll wasn’t a percentage, but rather an observation. After conducting the poll, Morning Consult determined that the greater of an understanding the individual had of the issue, the more likely they were to lean toward Apple’s side. With an issue this complex, education is vital.
