79% Worry About Free Speech Spreading Disinformation

Publication Date: 01/31/2026 5:00 AM CST

79% Worry About Free Speech Spreading Disinformation

Publication: 01/31/2026 5:00 AM CST

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Almost 8 in 10 voters (79%) are worried about free speech being used to spread disinformation and fake news.
- Forty-five percent (45%) are Very Worried.
- Only 6% are Not at All Worried.
- Democrats are worried about free speech and disinformation by an 82% to 15% margin.
- By a 75% to 22% margin, Republicans have the same misgivings.
For comparison, under Biden in March of 2024, 76% were worried about free speech being used to spread disinformation and fake news.
- The same number (45%) as at present were Very Worried about the issue.
Similarly, 71% are worried about government efforts to restrict freedom of speech.
- Forty-two percent (42%) are Very Worried.
- Just 11% are Not at All Worried.
- Far more Democrats (90%) than Republicans (52%) are worried about the government restricting free speech.
A majority (57%) of voters say they worry more about the federal government deciding what information and news should be allowed than about disinformation and fake news.
- This number has gone down 7 points since last July and is close to what it was last January (56%).
- Still, 38% say that disinformation and fake news worry them more, up 6 points from last July and up 1 point since last January.
- By a 58% to 38% margin, Republicans worry more about disinformation and fake news.
- Conversely, by a 74% to 21% margin, Democrats worry more about the federal government deciding what should be allowed.

This data is from a Napolitan News Service survey of 1,000 Registered Voters conducted online by Scott Rasmussen, January 28-29, 2026. RMG Research, Inc., conducted the field work for the survey. It has a margin of error of +/- 3.1.