Surveillance: 75% want to know what the Government is doing

New Zealanders overwhelmingly want the companies providing them with technical services to protect their personal information from interception by governments.

75% also would like to know whether New Zealand Government agencies are gathering personal communications transmitted via the internet and other networks for detailed search later using software operated by the United States National Security Agency, a new nationwide poll finds.

They were split on whether authorised interception warrants to gather and search information should be given before or after interception but 88% agreed that authorised warrants were necessary.

The Prime Minister’s handling of the issue of mass interception of personal data is generally evoking negative feelings, with 43% saying it makes them feel “Concerned” and 31% saying it makes them feel “Angry”.

A Horizon Research survey of 2, 054 people nationwide, representing the New Zealand population 18+ at the last census, asked respondents how strongly they agreed or disagreed that companies providing services such as internet, e-mail, telephone and other online services have a duty to protect users’ personal information from interception by governments.

Protection of personal information by tech providers

50% of respondents strongly agreed these companies did have a duty to protect information from interception and 15% agreed.  5% slightly agreed, resulting in total agreement of 70%. 

14% disagreed and 12% were neutral.

55% of respondents who voted for the National party in the 2014 general election agreed that that companies providing services such as internet, e-mail, telephone and other online services have a duty to protect users’ personal information from interception by governments.

New Zealand Government agency activity

Respondents were asked if they would like to know whether New Zealand Government agencies are gathering personal communications transmitted via the internet and other networks for detailed search later using software operated by the United States National Security Agency.

55% of respondents said they would definitely like to know and 20% would “probably” like to know – a total of 75% who would like to know.

The percentage who would definitely like to know reduced with increasing age, but the percentage would probably like to know increased with increasing age.

Note that regardless of the age group, a significant majority want to know whether or not New Zealand Government agencies are gathering their personal communications, transmitted via the internet and other networks for detailed search later.

63% of those who voted for the National Party in 2014 also want to know this.

When should warrants be required?

Respondents were split on whether authorised interception warrants to gather and search information should be given before or after interception but 88% agreed that authorised warrants were necessary.

Note that 18-24 year olds are more strongly of the opinion than other age groups that authorisation should be obtained before interception.

Handling of the mass interception issue

The Prime Minister’s handling of the issue of mass interception of personal data is generally evoking negative feelings, with 43% saying it makes them feel “Concerned” and 31% saying it makes them feel “Angry”.

The respondent group who felt “Concerned” included 19% of those who had voted for the National Party in the 2014 general election.  The Prime Minister’s handling of the issue is not making respondents who voted for the National Party in the 2014 election feel “angry”, but it was making 27% of those who had voted for ACT in 2014 feel “angry”.

In general, the percentage of people who are feel “Angry” about the Prime Minister’s handling of the issue declines with increasing age; 46% of 18-24 year olds described themselves as feeling angry.

While 22% of respondents overall are “Comfortable”, those people are almost entirely those who voted for the National or ACT parties in the 2014 general election (around 35% of New Zealanders 18+).  They also tend to be aged 55 years or over.

Sample

2, 054 members of the HorizonPoll national panel, representing the New Zealand population 18+, responded to the survey between 19 and 26 March 2015.

The sample is weighted on age, gender, education, personal income, employment status and party vote in the 2014 general election has a maximum margin of error at a 95% confidence level of ±2.2% overall.

The survey was conducted solely for Horizon as part of its independent public interest research programme and commitment to “listen to New Zealand”.

The summary report on this survey, including results analysed by respondents’ party vote at the 2014 general election,  may be downloaded here.

For further information, please contact

Grant McInman, Manager, Horizon Research

E-mail: gmcinman@horizonresearch.co.nz

Telephone: 021 0762 040