‘TwitterGate’? 63% Want FBI’s Social Media Activity Investigated

Revelations of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s involvement in social media censorship have raised voter concerns.

A new national telephone and online survey by Rasmussen Reports and Miranda Devine’s Laptop From Hell finds that 63% of Likely U.S. Voters believe Congress should investigate whether the FBI was involved in censoring information on social media sites. Only 22% oppose such an investigation, while 15% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

Twitter has released files showing the FBI’s communications with the popular social media platform. Last week, Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Jordan, who is set to take over as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, voiced “serious concerns about how and why tech companies suppress, silence, or reduce the reach of certain political speech and speakers.”

Sixty-three percent (63%) of voters believe it is likely that the FBI encouraged social media sites like Facebook and Twitter to “suppress, silence, or reduce the reach of certain political speech and speakers,” including 43% who think it’s Very Likely. Twenty-seven percent (27%) don’t think it’s likely the FBI encouraged social media to “suppress” or “silence” political speech, while another 11% are not sure.

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The survey of 900 U.S. Likely Voters was conducted on December 19-21, 2022 by Rasmussen Reports and Miranda Devin's Laptop From Hell. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Fifty percent (50%) of Likely U.S. voters have a favorable impression of the FBI, including 20% who have a Very Favorable view of the bureau. Forty-six percent (46%) now view the FBI unfavorably, including 26% who have a Very Unfavorable impression of the bureau. These findings are nearly unchanged since October. LINK TO Keep Politics Out of FBI, Voters Say

Roger Stone, an adviser to former President Donald Trump, has said there is “a group of politicized thugs at the top of the FBI who are using the FBI … as Joe Biden‘s personal Gestapo.” A majority (53%) of voters agree with Stone’s statement, including 37% who Strongly Agree. Thirty-eight percent (38%) disagree with the quote from Stone, including 29% who Strongly Disagree. These findings have changed little since August, immediately after the FBI raided Trump’s Florida residence. LINK TO ‘Biden’s Gestapo’? Trump Raid Hurts Voter Trust in FBI  

The perception of political bias at the FBI is clearly reflected in public opinion about the bureau. While 74% of Democrats now have a favorable opinion of the FBI, that view is shared by only 34% of Republicans and 40% of voters not affiliated with either major party. Forty percent (40%) of Republicans and 28% of unaffiliated voters now have a Very Unfavorable opinion of the FBI, as do 10% of Democrats.

Seventy-two percent (72%) of Republicans and 52% of unaffiliated voters now agree with Stone’s quote about the FBI acting as Biden’s “personal Gestapo, as do 35% of Democrats.

There is, however, some bipartisan agreement about the FBI. Seventy-six percent (76%) of Republicans, 52% of Democrats and 60% of unaffiliated voters think it is at least somewhat likely the FBI encouraged social media sites like Facebook and Twitter to “suppress, silence, or reduce the reach of certain political speech and speakers.” 

Majorities of every political category – 52% of Democrats, 75% of Republicans and 63% of unaffiliated voters – believe Congress should investigate whether the FBI was involved in censoring information on social media sites.

More men (51%) than women voters (35%) think it’s Very Likely the FBI encouraged social media censorship.

Voters under 40 are more likely than their elders to favor a congressional investigation of the FBI’s involvement in social media censorship.

Majorities of every racial category – 62% of whites, 53% of black voters and 67% of other minorities – think it’s at least somewhat likely the FBI encouraged social media to “suppress” or “silence” political speech.

President Joe Biden’s strongest supporters are less favorable toward a congressional investigation of the FBI. Among voters who Strongly Approve of Biden’s job performance as president, 41% think Congress should investigate whether the FBI was involved in censoring information on social media sites. By contrast, among those who Strongly Disapprove of Biden’s performance, 88% are in favor of such an investigation.

Voters are divided over a congressional committee’s investigation of the January 2021 Capitol riot, with Democrats overwhelmingly in favor of prosecuting former President Donald Trump for the riot by his supporters.

Voters now have a slightly higher opinion of Congress than they have in years. 

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.

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