Likely Voters Would Approve if Kamala Harris Held Big Tech Companies Accountable
By Tenneth Fairclough II
Vice President Kamala Harris becoming the Democratic presidential nominee for the 2024 election has led many to wonder what policy stances her administration might take with regards to regulating the technology industry if she were to win in November.
New polling from Data for Progress and Accountable Tech examined how voters would respond if Harris were to support various policies that would regulate the technology industry, including requiring social media companies to protect children’s safety and privacy online, and requiring artificial intelligence (AI) companies to implement safety guidelines on their products.
First, voters were asked whether they would approve or disapprove if Harris were to support requiring social media companies to protect the safety and privacy of children who are using their platforms, including disabling addictive features and protecting minors’ private information.
The survey finds that more than three-quarters of likely voters (80%) would approve of Harris’ hypothetical decision to support requiring social media companies to protect children’s safety and privacy online. Support for this decision is shared by voters across party lines, as 96% of Democrats, 78% of Independents, and 64% of Republicans say they would approve.
Next, voters were asked whether they would approve or disapprove if Harris supported requiring online platforms to protect their users’ personal health information while using said platforms.
A strong majority of voters (78%) would approve of Harris’ hypothetical decision to support requiring online platforms to protect their users’ personal health information. This sentiment is shared by 93% of Democrats, 77% of Independents, and 63% of Republicans.
Voters were then asked whether they would approve or disapprove if Harris supported requiring AI companies to implement safety guidelines and third-party testing on their products before consumers can use them, even if it may slow down the development of the technology.
The survey finds that 72% of voters would approve if Harris decided to enforce consumer protection laws against AI companies, including 91% of Democrats, 71% of Independents, and 53% of Republicans.
After being provided a brief description of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which grants online platforms nearly complete immunity for the harmful content shared on their platforms, voters were asked whether they would approve or disapprove if Harris supported reforming Section 230 to allow online platforms to be held completely or partially liable for the content shared on their platforms.
A strong majority of voters (70%) would approve if Harris decided to support reforming Section 230. A majority of Democrats and Independents show approval (91% and 66%, respectively), compared with only a plurality of Republicans who would approve (49%).
Lastly, voters were asked whether they would approve or disapprove if Harris supported passing robust antitrust legislation aimed at Big Tech companies to rein in monopoly power within the industry and promote competition.
Sixty-three percent of voters say they would approve of Harris’ hypothetical decision to support passing antitrust legislation for Big Tech companies. While a majority of Democrats and Independents (85% and 62%, respectively) say they would approve of this decision, a plurality of Republicans (44%) say they would disapprove if Harris took such a stance.
These findings indicate that voters are motivated to support a Harris administration that would regulate a rapidly growing U.S. technology industry and hold Big Tech companies accountable for failing to protect consumers who use their products and platforms.
Tenneth Fairclough II (@tenten_wins) is a polling analyst at Data for Progress.
Survey Methodology
From July 26 to 29, 2024, Data for Progress conducted a survey of 1,162 U.S. likely voters nationally using web panel respondents. The sample was weighted to be representative of likely voters by age, gender, education, race, geography, and 2020 recalled vote. The survey was conducted in English. The margin of error associated with the sample size is ±3 percentage points. Results for subgroups of the sample are subject to increased margins of error. Partisanship reflected in tabulations is based on self-identified party affiliation, not partisan registration. For more information please visit dataforprogress.org/our-methodology.