Most say news outlets should back each other up against government legal action
Core finding
Verasight surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults from September 25 to 30, 2026. When the government takes legal action against a news outlet, 65.0% of Americans say other news organizations have some or a great deal of responsibility to publicly defend it. 18.4% say they have none.
A great deal of responsibility accounts for 34.3% and some for 30.6%. Another 16.6% say not much.
Topline distribution
Most say news outlets should back each other up against government legal action.
When the government takes legal action against one news organization, how much responsibility do other news organizations have to publicly defend the targeted news outlet?
n = 1,000 · Sep 25–30, 2026 · MoE ±3.4%
Methodology
Full methodology →| Mode | Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting |
|---|---|
| Population | US adults age 18+ |
| Field dates | Sep 25–30, 2026 |
| Base (unweighted) | 1,000 |
| Margin of error | ±3.4% |
| Module | Technology, Security, and Global Affairs |
| Sponsor | Verasight |
| Weight variable | weight |
| Weighting targets | age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status |
Sources
- reports.verasight.io/r/2026-153-apsa-omnibus-report
When the government takes legal action against one news organization, how much responsibility do other news organizations have to publicly defend the targeted news outlet?
Cite this question
APSA Omnibus Survey #2026-153, fielded September 25-30, 2026, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.4%.