Most Americans love the First Amendment, but some are confused

Americans deeply value the First Amendment, but increasing numbers of people don’t understand the protections and limits of the doctrine, according to new research by the Freedom Forum.

And while support for the five freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment is strong, it is not universal. A small but increasing share of Americans do not value those same protections today and might not endorse them if put to a vote.

A summary of the survey notes: “When asked to choose whether the First Amendment should never be changed, 62% said it should not. That’s up from 54% in 2020. However, more leaned toward thinking the First Amendment goes too far in the rights it protects: 7% compared to 3% in 2022.”

Yet, “overall, 93% of Americans consider the First Amendment vital.”

This new research was conducted online March 10 to 14, using a representative national sample. The study’s margin of error is 3.45% at a 95% confidence level. The Freedom Forum is a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization committed to education and advocacy related to First Amendment freedoms.

The new survey offers comparable data to a similar survey in 2020. The most notable changes are these: “While overall awareness of the First Amendment remains high (95%), awareness of each of the five freedoms protected by the First Amendment — religion, speech, press, assembly and petition has dipped slightly since 2020. The ability to name First Amendment freedoms and to identify them from a list of options have both decreased.”

Views on the First Amendment today are sometimes shaped by current events, including high-profile court cases that touch on religious liberty and freedom of speech, particularly when those two ideals appear to be in conflict.

The survey found:

One notable gap in American’s knowledge of the First Amendment is this: “Most Americans do not know that the First Amendment applies only to the government limiting rights. Just under one-quarter (24%) know that private workplace policies are not bound by the First Amendment.”

Here are highlights of the survey’s findings as they relate to the five freedoms named in the First Amendment:

Religion

Speech

Press

Assembly and petition

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