What do you think?
The use of surveillance technology by the government raises many questions about the balance between the right to public safety and security and the right to privacy. In order to learn more, we conducted an informal poll to hear your thoughts. We also conducted a professional and representative online survey, through the Geocartography Knowledge Group. The (fascinating!) results are here.
What do you think? Take our poll! (Heb)
Informal Poll
The scenario: the police are working on an crime-fighting app that every citizen will be asked to download. The app will send the location of your mobile phone to a police database every few minutes. Would you be willing to download the app?
Survey: Examining Public Awareness of and Attitudes Toward the Use of Surveillance Technology
An online survey was conducted in October 2024 by Geocartography. 521 respondents, Jews and Arabs, aged 18 and over, constituting a national and representative sample of the population in Israel, were polled.
Key Findings
👉 Support for Surveillance Technology
There is considerable ambivalence among the public regarding the use of surveillance technology by the police. Rates of support and opposition were quite similar, although slightly more appear to be in favor of the use of surveillance technology by the police.
Do not support: 46%
Support: 54%
👉 Concerns
69% of the public express concerns about privacy violations as a result of the use of surveillance technologies.
Not concerned: 31%
Concerned: 69%
👉 Distrust of the Police
Only about a third of the public trust that the police will not use surveillance technologies illegally, a rate that is even lower in Arab society.
Jews
Do not trust: 63%
Trust: 37%
Arabs
Do not trust: 73%
Trust: 27%
69% of the public express concerns about privacy violations as a result of the use of surveillance technologies.
No: 45%
Yes: 55%
83% of the public believe that it is important that the use of surveillance technologies by the police be based only on an order from a judge or an external party.
General public
Not important: 17%
Important: 83%