Libertas Institute just released our first Libertas Insights/Overton Insights poll, gauging how Utahns feel about their state and various policy issues. You can explore the full results here.
Public Hearings for Surveillance Technology
The Libertas Institute/Overton Insights poll also found that Utahns are united in support of policies that would limit government surveillance. Utah voters strongly agree that government agencies should not deploy new surveillance tools without first hearing from the public, with 84% supporting required public hearings and only 12% opposing them.
A Truth in Surveillance law where public hearings are required before new tech is deployed, similar to existing Truth in Taxation Law for tax increases, is welcomed by voters across the political aisle, with Republicans (+72%), Democrats (78%), and Independents (67%) alike showing this is not a partisan issue but a basic good-government expectation. People want transparency and a voice before technologies such as facial recognition cameras or license plate readers are implemented.
Legislative Approval for Surveillance Technology
This poll also found that voters favor requiring the Legislature to review and approve new types of surveillance technology before agencies can use them, with 80% support statewide. Only 12% of voters oppose this idea. Again, backing is strong across all political affiliations, reinforcing that checks and balances on government surveillance are common sense, not controversial.
Utahns clearly want elected representatives, not unelected agencies, making the final call on powerful new monitoring tools. That level of consensus gives lawmakers a clear mandate to put guardrails in place, such as SB 19, to prioritize Utahns’ privacy in an increasingly-digital age.
