When South Korea began its delayed school year with remote learning in April, that spelled trouble for low-income students who rely on public education, get easily distracted and cannot afford cram schools or tutors used by many in this education-obsessed country.

Students like Han Shin Bi, who struggled to concentrate.

“Online classes were really inconvenient,” said Han, a high school senior in Seoul. “I ended up with a bad grade (in an exam) because I didn’t really focus on studying while online. It was a blow.”

Like legions of other students around the world, kids in South Korea are struggling with remote learning, taking online classes off-and-on from home as the nation battles the coronavirus pandemic.

Experts say the reduced interaction with teachers, digital distractions and technical difficulties are widening the education achievement gap among students in South Korea, leaving those less well off, like Han, at even more at a disadvantage.

Students who were doing well before the pandemic, often from middle- and upper-class families, have an easier time keeping their grades up and plenty of family support if they run into trouble.

In South Korea, Asia’s fourth largest economy, which university you attend can determine nearly everything about one’s future: career prospects, social status and even who one can marry.

“One’s academic background doesn’t always match his or her capacity. But an incorrect view that they are the same is prevalent in this society,” said Gu Bongchang, a policy director at the World Without Worries About Shadow Education, an education NGO in Seoul.

With teachers mostly posting prerecorded lectures online, Han couldn’t ask questions in real time, and her family cannot afford to hire a tutor or send her to a cram school, like most of her friends.

“I don’t want to compare myself with others,” she said. “But If I had had lots of money, I think I could have learned many things (after school)… and I actually wanted to learn English and Chinese at cram schools.”

Even some model students say distance learning is tough.

“I felt I was trapped at the same place and I got lots of psychological stress,” said Ma Seo-bin, a high school senior at an elite, expensive foreign language school near Seoul. “What was most difficult is that I didn’t have my friends with me so it was hard to be dedicated to my studies.”

When South Korea resumed in-person classes in phased steps in May, authorities let high-school seniors return first to let them prepare for the national university entrance exam in December--a crucial test in their lives. Younger students returned later, but in a limited manner that still requires most of them to regularly take online classes at home.

In June, when hundreds of thousands took a nationwide test to practice for the December exam, the number of students with high-ranking scores increased in the three key subjects--Korean, English and math, suggesting questions were easier than a previous test.

But those with the worst scores also increased, suggesting that “educational polarization has become severe,” lawmaker Kang Minjung, a member of parliament’s education committee, said in a statement.

Such disparities may deepen as the pandemic drags on, since the crisis is worsening inequality between the haves and have-nots, said Lim Sung-ho, head of the private Jongro Academy in Seoul.

A government survey of tens of thousands of parents and teachers last year found that 75 percent of South Korean students participate in some form of private education, spending an average of $377 a month. The survey by the Education Ministry and the national statistics office showed middle- and higher-income families spent five times more for such private education than lower-income families.

Ma’s parents--who both work for a private English institute--said they pay about 2 million won ($1,750) a month for their daughter’s private education and 20 million won a year for her schooling and dorm fee. While it is a burden, they said it’s worth the expense given how important education is to her future.

“I have no regrets,” said Ma’s father, Ma Moon Young. “I’ve also had lots of psychological stress. I couldn’t really do what I had wanted to do for myself because of a lack of time and financial reasons.”

Y.H. Yoon, a single mother of three in Seoul, worries her sons won’t be able to keep up due to her inability to send them to cram school, and her need to be out working instead of helping them while they study at home.

But she urges them to study hard, regardless of the challenges of the pandemic and their own circumstances, so that they can get into good universities.

“I just tell them something like ‘Do you want to live like a mommy in the future?’” said Yoon, a high school graduate who works as a sales clerk. “It’s what my parents always had told me and I’m telling my kids the same thing now.”

(The Asahi Shimbun)

October 21, 2020

Source: http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/13856272

660-43-22/Country Profile: South Korea

SUMMARY OF POLLS

ASIA

(Pakistan)

Unemployment Situation in Pakistan: 4 in 5 Pakistanis believe unemployment has risen during the past 6 months

According to Dun&Bradstreet and Gallup Pakistan Consumer Confidence Index, 80% Pakistanis believe unemployment has increased in the past 6 months. The Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) is a reflection of current sentiments and future outlook as seen through the eyes of consumers across Pakistan. The CCI score is an indicator of consumer optimism/ pessimism about the economy, as well as their own financial situation. Consumer Confidence Index is a leading indicator of the economic health and social well-being. (Gallup Pakistan)

October 16, 2020

(South Korea)

Pandemic widens learning gap in education-obsessed South Korea

A government survey of 51,021 teachers released last month showed about 80 percent of respondents saw a widening gap between their strongest and weakest students. To address the problem, the Education Ministry has hired part-time instructors to help 29,000 underprivileged students at elementary schools. Some teachers have been assigned to work one-on-one temporarily with about 2,300 high schoolers who are struggling. With teachers mostly posting prerecorded lectures online, Han couldn’t ask questions in real time, and her family cannot afford to hire a tutor or send her to a cram school, like most of her friends. (The Asahi Shimbun)

October 21, 2020

(Kyrgyzstan)

Kyrgyzstanis Souring on Leadership, Life Ahead of Turmoil

Before the recent unrest gripping Central Asia's only democracy, Kyrgyzstanis were souring on President Sooronbai Jeenbekov, who resigned Thursday in response to the protests. While the majority (57%) approved of his job performance in 2019, his approval rating had dropped 20 percentage points since his first year in office in 2018. Jeenbekov's predecessor, Almazbek Atambayev -- who has been arrested for organizing riots -- never saw ratings lower than 61%. (Gallup USA)

October 26, 2020

AFRICA

(Nigeria)

In Nigeria, majority of police encounters marked by bribery, difficulty getting assistance, survey shows

Most Nigerians who encountered the police last year say they had to pay bribes and found it difficult to get help, Afrobarometer survey findings show. Based on citizens’ assessments, Nigeria’s police are widely seen as corrupt, unhelpful, and untrustworthy – a strongly negative perception that forms the background for recent protests against police abuses. While protests initially focused on the controversial Special Anti- Robbery Squad (SARS), the government’s decision to abolish the unit has not ended protesters’ calls for police reform. (Afrobarometer)

October 16, 2020

EUROPE

(Germany)

Germans recognize the worsening situation in Germany and worldwide

Very few believe in a current improvement in the corona situation in Germany: at the beginning of October only 13 percent of those surveyed believe that the national situation will improve. At the end of July 19 percent said this, and at the end of August 18 percent. 72 percent believe it will deteriorate at the beginning of October and 66 percent at the end of July. (YouGov)

October 16, 2020

(Italy)

6 out of 10 Italians trust that the Covid-19 vaccine will be safe

The scientific community around the world has been working for months to find an effective vaccine against Covid-19. Many studies are in the final phase, and early doses may be available soon. With the ranks of no vaxes growing in numbers globally, it is first of all important to take stock of what the general attitude towards vaccination is. (YouGov)

October 20, 2020

(Sweden)

What is the general opinion about the coronavirus in Sweden?

Sweden's management of the coronavirus differs from other countries' ways of dealing with the crisis. Sweden is known for being one of the few countries that has not introduced any form of national closure. As of this writing, Sweden has the thirteenth highest death toll per capita among all countries in the world - significantly higher than its neighbors in the Nordic countries, but not as high as in Spain, Italy, the USA and the United Kingdom. (YouGov)

October 22, 2020

(UK)

Do fans support Premier League staff and players taking the knee for BLM?

Fans are nearly split over the issue, but lean more towards approval of the gesture. There have been many changes made to top flight football since its return from lockdown, and even more with the beginning of the new season. One change that has carried over from the tail end of last season is players and staff taking a knee before each game to display solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement taking place across the world. (YouGov)

October 16, 2020

(UK)

Has the pandemic changed how we buy toiletries?

The pandemic has made increasing numbers of shoppers adapt to buying toiletries online – and some will continue to do so permanently, YouGov data suggests. The research shows that the number of people only buying toiletries in-store dropped from 61% before the pandemic to 50% during the national lockdown in the spring. At the same time, the proportion of consumers only shopping online rose from 6% to 30%, while those purchasing both online and offline fell from 33% to 21%. (YouGov)

October 15, 2020

(UK)

Most Brits think targeted ads are creepy

Nearly three in five (57%) people either tend to (34%) or definitely (27%) agree that personalised ads ‘creep them out’. Britons who ‘definitely’ feel uneasy about targeted promotions generally display lower levels of trust and are more sceptical of technology. A majority (58%) distrust the people and organisations they perceive to be most powerful in society. This is much higher than among the general population (47%). (YouGov)

October 15, 2020

(UK)

Which Brits want streaming services to offer group deals?

YouGov Profiles asks Brits whether they think streaming services should better cater to groups by offering subscription deals for groups. Overall 55% of the general public agree that streaming service providers could do more to offer group subscriptions, with 28% saying they neither agree nor disagree and 18% opposing the idea. The idea most appeals to parents of younger families, with nearly two thirds (64%) of parents agreeing with the statement, another 22% of parents with children under 16 disagree. (YouGov)

October 14, 2020

NORTH AMERICA

(USA)

More Voters Than in Prior Years Say Election Outcome Matters

A record-high percentage of U.S. voters say the outcome of this year's election matters more to them than prior elections did. The 77% of registered voters holding this view is up six percentage points from 2016 and is the highest in Gallup's trend dating back to 1996. While few voters (2%) say the election matters less than in the past, 21% think it matters about the same. (Gallup USA)

October 19, 2020

(USA)

Americans' Social Distancing Habits Have Tapered Since July

Americans are less likely now than at any point since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic to say they are avoiding events with large crowds (70%), public places such as stores and restaurants (53%) and small gatherings (45%). Though each of these behaviors has changed only slightly from late August, they represent significant declines from mid-to-late July and new low points for each of their respective trends since Gallup's initial March 13-15 reading. Still, the majority are avoiding public places and, in particular, large crowds. (Gallup USA)

October 19, 2020

(USA)

64% of Americans say social media have a mostly negative effect on the way things are going in the U.S. today

About two-thirds of Americans (64%) say social media have a mostly negative effect on the way things are going in the country today, according to a Pew Research Center survey of U.S. adults conducted July 13-19, 2020. Just one-in-ten Americans say social media sites have a mostly positive effect on the way things are going, and one-quarter say these platforms have a neither positive nor negative effect. (PEW)

October 15, 2020

(USA)

Latino voters have growing confidence in Biden on key issues, while confidence in Trump remains low

As Election Day nears, Hispanic registered voters in the United States express growing confidence in Joe Biden’s ability to handle key issues like the coronavirus outbreak, with women and college graduates especially confident. By contrast, Hispanics’ views of Donald Trump on major issues are largely negative and mostly unchanged from June. These views of the 2020 presidential candidates come as most Hispanic voters continue to hold bleak views of the nation and its economy after months of widespread job losses and illness due to COVID-19, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted Sept. 30-Oct. 5. (PEW)

October 16, 2020

AUSTRALIA

The Great Food Debate

What’s in a name? When it comes to Aussie foods, this varies state-to-state. YouGov looks at what Australians call their favourite local treats and the debate over deep-fried potato slices. What to call slices of potato dipped in batter and then deep-fried is hotly debated between certain Aussie states. Our data finds that Australians overall most commonly refer to this delicious snack as ‘potato scallops’ (46%). This is followed by ‘potato cake’ (30%), and ‘potato fritter’ (22%) – and a small percentage (2%) refer to it by some other name. In Victoria, this is most commonly called potato cake (74%) and in South Australia, the term potato fritter is preferred (56%). (YouGov)

October 21, 2020

MULTICOUNTRY STUDIES

Global majority seeks trustworthy news but may be vulnerable to disinformation

Ipsos research for the Trust Project finds limited appetite to pay for news and more confidence in one’s own acumen about the reliability of sources than in other people’s. Around the globe, eight in ten adults make sure the news they rely on comes from trustworthy sources, according to Trust Misplaced?, a report from Ipsos and the Trust Project on the future of trust in media. The report is grounded by two Ipsos Global Advisor surveys spanning 29 nations. Half of those surveyed (49%) say they generally make sure the news they read, watch or listen to come from trustworthy sources and one third (33%) say they occasionally do so. (Ipsos)

October 14, 2020

Job loss is a concern for half of workers across the world

A new Ipsos survey of more than 12,000 working adults from 27 countries for the World Economic Forum finds 54% of them expressing concern about losing their job in the next 12 months. Perceived job insecurity varies widely across countries: it is stated by three in four workers in Russia, compared to just one in four in Germany. Two thirds of workers worldwide say they can learn and develop skills needed for the jobs of the future through their current employer. While nearly nine in ten workers in Spain report being able to gain essential new skills on the job, fewer than half in Japan, Sweden and Russia do. (Ipsos)

October 19, 2020

Most people would get COVID-19 vaccine if offered by govt or employer

Most people would get a COVID-19 vaccine if their government or employer recommended it, results of a global poll showed on Tuesday, amid growing concerns about public distrust of the shots being developed at speed to end the pandemic. Some 71.5% of participants said they would be very or somewhat likely to take a COVID-19 vaccine and 61.4% reported they would accept their employer’s recommendation to do so, according to the survey in June of more than 13,000 people in 19 countries. (ARY News)

October 20, 2020

How Well Are Countries Keeping Their People Safe?

A new global survey on risk shows some countries are succeeding -- while others are struggling -- to ensure the food their people buy, the water they drink and the power lines where they live are safe. Across 140 countries surveyed in 2019, scores on the World Risk Poll Government Safety Performance Index (GSPI), a composite measure of how countries are performing in each of these areas, ranged from a high of 93 in Singapore and the United Arab Emirates to a low of 25 in Yemen. (Gallup USA)

October 16, 2020

ASIA

660-43-01/Poll

Unemployment Situation in Pakistan: 4 in 5 Pakistanis believe unemployment has risen during the past 6 months (Dun&Bradstreet and Gallup Pakistan Consumer Confidence Index)

According to Dun&Bradstreet and Gallup Pakistan Consumer Confidence Index, 80% Pakistanis believe unemployment has increased in the past 6 months.

The Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) is a reflection of current sentiments and future outlook as seen through the eyes of consumers across Pakistan. The CCI score is an indicator of consumer optimism/ pessimism about the economy, as well as their own financial situation. Consumer Confidence Index is a leading indicator of the economic health and social well-being.

A nationally representative sample of adult men and women from across the four provinces was asked the following question, “In your opinion, in comparison to last 6 month, unemployment in Pakistan has…..?” In response to this question, 5% said decreased a lot, 9% said decreased, 5% said remained the same, 29% said increased and 51% said increased a lot.

(Gallup Pakistan)

October 16, 2020

Source: https://gallup.com.pk/post/30603

660-43-02/Poll

Pandemic widens learning gap in education-obsessed South Korea

Students like Han Shin Bi, who struggled to concentrate.

Like legions of other students around the world, kids in South Korea are struggling with remote learning, taking online classes off-and-on from home as the nation battles the coronavirus pandemic.

Students who were doing well before the pandemic, often from middle- and upper-class families, have an easier time keeping their grades up and plenty of family support if they run into trouble.

In South Korea, Asia’s fourth largest economy, which university you attend can determine nearly everything about one’s future: career prospects, social status and even who one can marry.

Even some model students say distance learning is tough.

Such disparities may deepen as the pandemic drags on, since the crisis is worsening inequality between the haves and have-nots, said Lim Sung-ho, head of the private Jongro Academy in Seoul.

But she urges them to study hard, regardless of the challenges of the pandemic and their own circumstances, so that they can get into good universities.

(The Asahi Shimbun)

October 21, 2020

Source: http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/13856272

660-43-03/Poll

Kyrgyzstanis Souring on Leadership, Life Ahead of Turmoil

Line graph. Kyrgyzstanis' approval for former Presidents Sooronbai Jeenbekov and Almazbek Atambayev. From 2012 to 2017, approval for Atambayev never dropped below 61%, while approval of Jeenbekov fell from 77% in 2018 to 57% in 2019.

Civil unrest has rocked Kyrgyzstan since the country's recently annulled parliamentary elections on Oct. 4, which opposition parties claim were rigged. Political parties allied with Jeenbekov allegedly won the largest share of the vote, and Kyrgyzstanis' frustration with Jeenbekov and the measures he had implemented to control COVID-19 spilled out into the streets.

Kyrgyzstanis have not placed much faith in the honesty of the country's elections over the past 15 years -- during which they have ousted two previous leaders. Before the most recent parliamentary elections, 30% expressed confidence in their elections. That 30% is down from the trend-high 41% in 2016, but well above the low of 14% in 2010, after the country's 2009 presidential election that was marred by a violent crackdown by the incumbent Kurmanbek Bakiyev.

Line graph. Kyrgyzstanis' faith in the honesty of the country's elections. In 2019, 30% of Kyrgyzstanis indicated they had faith in the honesty of the country's elections, down from 38% in 2018.

Kyrgyzstanis' low faith in their elections may be at least partly related to the large percentages of the population who perceive corruption as widespread in the country's government. Three-quarters or more of Kyrgyzstanis have consistently said corruption is widespread in government throughout Gallup's trend. Kyrgyzstanis see corruption as equally pervasive in business and government, with no less than 73% saying corruption is widespread in business in Gallup's trend. These perceptions have likely been only reinforced by reports of intimidation and violence on the part of organized criminal groups during the current unrest.

Line graph. Kyrgyzstanis' perception that corruption is widespread in government and business. 77% of Kyrgyzstanis in 2019 said corruption is widespread in government, while 74% say it is widespread in business.

Before COVID-19, Kyrgyzstanis' Situations Not Improving

Compounding Kyrgyzstan's political problems is the fact that substantial percentages of the country's population were continuing to struggle economically before the COVID-19 pandemic. In the most recent survey, from 2019, 36% of Kyrgyzstanis had been unable to afford food at times in the past 12 months and 43% reported struggling to afford shelter. Although the current figures fall short of the record highs, both measures have been elevated for the past several years.

Line graph. The percentages of Kyrgyzstanis who have lacked money for food or shelter in the past 12 months. 36% of Kyrgyzstanis in 2019 have lacked money for food and 43% have lacked money for shelter.

Since Jeenbekov took office, Kyrgyzstanis' household incomes have not been heading in the right direction. Between 2017 and 2019, the percentage of Kyrgyzstanis saying they found it difficult or very difficult to get by on their household income grew modestly from 27% to 32%. At the same time, the percentage saying they were living comfortably or getting by on their household income declined from 71% to 66%.

Line graph. Kyrgyzstanis' ability to get by on their current household income. 66% of Kyrgyzstanis in 2019 were living comfortably or getting by on their current household income. Alternatively, 32% of Kyrgyzstanis were finding it difficult or very difficult to get by on their current household income.

Bottom Line

Before the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent turmoil gripping their country, Kyrgyzstanis had already started to sour on Jeenbekov. It is unlikely that the unpopular measures Jeenbekov imposed to control COVID-19 -- including closing the country's borders and closing down nonessential businesses, as well as a perceived failure to provide assistance to the public -- earned him more fans.

The economic effects of the pandemic, added to perceptions that political parties allied to Jeenbekov bought votes and took other measures to influence the election, were sufficient to spark widespread protests. Protesters have rallied around Atambayev, who had been imprisoned after being convicted of corruption charges. Jeenbekov's resignation marks the third time in 15 years that popular protests have brought down a president in Kyrgyzstan.

(Gallup USA)

October 26, 2020

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/322067/kyrgyzstanis-souring-leadership-life-ahead-turmoil.aspx

AFRICA

660-43-04/Poll

In Nigeria, majority of police encounters marked by bribery, difficulty getting assistance, survey shows

Most Nigerians who encountered the police last year say they had to pay bribes and found it difficult to get help, Afrobarometer survey findings show.

Based on citizens’ assessments, Nigeria’s police are widely seen as corrupt, unhelpful, and untrustworthy – a strongly negative perception that forms the background for recent protests against police abuses. While protests initially focused on the controversial Special Anti- Robbery Squad (SARS), the government’s decision to abolish the unit has not ended protesters’ calls for police reform.

The Afrobarometer survey, conducted in early 2020, shows that while only one in 10 Nigerians sought police assistance last year, about five times as many encountered the police at checkpoints and traffic stops or during investigations. Whether for assistance or to avoid problems, large majorities – more than in most other African countries that have been surveyed – say they had to pay bribes.

A majority of citizens who sought police assistance also say they found it difficult to get the help they needed.

Compared to other key leaders and officials, the police are more widely perceived to be corrupt and less trusted by citizens. Large majorities of Nigerians say the government is doing a poor job of fighting corruption and reducing crime – a stark reversal from positive assessments three years ago.

(Afrobarometer)

October 16, 2020

Source: https://www.afrobarometer.org/press/nigeria-majority-police-encounters-marked-bribery-difficulty-getting-assistance-survey-shows

EUROPE

660-43-05/Poll

Germans recognize the worsening situation in Germany and worldwide

The global corona pandemic continues. What does that do to the Germans? How big is the fear of infection with the coronavirus, and how confidently do you look forward to the end of the crisis? Current and comparative results of the YouGov COVID-19 tracker provide answers.

GLOBAL CORONA CRISIS: NO END IN SIGHT?

The Germans' assessment of the global corona crisis shows that no end is expected in the near future: At the beginning of October, three out of four Germans stated that the global corona situation would worsen (75 percent). At the end of August, 70 percent believed that the global corona crisis would worsen, a slight optimism towards the end of summer.

THE FEAR OF INFECTION INCREASES

The concern among the population about being infected with the corona virus has been increasing since the end of July. At the time it was 40 percent of Germans who were very / rather very afraid of being infected with the coronavirus, the value at the beginning of October was 43 percent.

HOME OFFICE AS A MEASURE TO BE TAKEN BY FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS IS BECOMING MORE IMPORTANT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE GERMANS

In early October, more than half of those surveyed (54 percent) said that as a measure by federal and state governments to contain the coronavirus, companies should be encouraged to allow people to work from home. At the end of July and the end of August the value was still 48 percent. At the end of July, 43 percent spoke out in favor of the protective measure of providing free masks for all people in Germany. At the end of August and beginning of October, only 40 percent said this.

(YouGov)

October 16, 2020

Source: https://yougov.de/news/2020/10/16/covid-19-tracker-deutsche-erkennen-verschlechterun/

660-43-06/Poll

6 out of 10 Italians trust that the Covid-19 vaccine will be safe

The scientific community around the world has been working for months to find an effective vaccine against Covid-19. Many studies are in the final phase, and early doses may be available soon.

With the ranks of no vaxes growing in numbers globally, it is first of all important to take stock of what the general attitude towards vaccination is.

Most Italians are in favor of vaccination

In general, to what extent are you for or against vaccination of any kind, on yourself or on your children? Think of all kinds of vaccines, such as chicken pox, tetanus, mumps, hepatitis-B, etc.
Base : 2051 Italians 18+

To date, the attitude is still positive: 78% of people say they are in favor or extremely favorable to vaccination , thus weighing much more than 7% of those against.

But while the approval and marketing process can normally take a very long time, taking up to 10 years , global efforts to research the Covid-19 vaccine have been accelerated. We therefore wondered if this causes skepticism, leading people to hesitate to undergo the new vaccine when it is ready.

Italy is divided between those who want to undergo the Covid-19 vaccine as soon as it becomes available, and those who prefer to wait

The Covid-19 vaccine is not yet available, but imagine the time when one of the vaccines currently in the clinical phase will be considered safe, approved and authorized. If you could choose when to get it, when would you get the Covid-19 vaccine?
Base : 2051 Italians 18+

Most people are willing to get vaccinated when the time comes (85%), while only a minority (15%) already anticipate refusing. Of the total population, as many as 30% of people who are normally against vaccination are instead inclined to be vaccinated against Covid-19 .

At a national level and excluding those who completely exclude the vaccine, half of the population wants to get vaccinated as soon as possible (43%), the other half instead prefers to wait (42%).

Most people would wait up to 6 months. The average wait is 5 months

How many months would you wait before undergoing the Covid-19 vaccine once it is considered safe, approved and available to the public?
Base : 871 Italians 18+ who would wait before undergoing the Covid-19 vaccine

38%36%5%10%11%1-3 mesi4-6 mesi7-9 mesi10-12 mesiOltre un anno

Many are therefore cautious, but confident: most would not wait beyond 6 months (74%) , even if a minority of more than 2 in 10 people would not wait for 10 months or a year (21%).

The propensity to get vaccinated and the timing with which to do so are proportional to the perception of safety.

Think again about the Covid-19 vaccine.
When one of the vaccines is approved, how much do you trust it is safe ?
Base : 2051 Italians 18+

MoltoAbbastanzaPocoPer nienteNon saprei0…1…1…5%26%12%4%17%43%66%67%49%23%52%41%20%5%20%66%15%3…0…1…12%8%16%11%9%2…7%Si vaccinerebbe appena possibileNon vuole vaccinarsiAspetterebbe 10+ mesiAspetterebbe 4-9 mesiAspetterebbe 1-3 mesiSi vaccinerebbe appena possibileTotaleL

The propensity to vaccinate as soon as possible, and the readiness with which to do so, is proportional to the perception of safety of the new vaccine.

While on average nationwide most (61%) people think they will be very or fairly safe , trust rises a lot among the group of people who would get the vaccine immediately after approval, almost all of whom consider it safe. (93%). On the contrary, only 18% of those who would wait 10 months or more think it will be safe, up to only 4% of those who never will.

Half of Italians would like the Covid-19 vaccine to be made mandatory in Italy. Only 4% of those opposed to vaccines think the same way.

How much would you agree or disagree with that the Covid 19 vaccine is made mandatory in Italy ?
Base : 2051 Italians 18+

Molto d'accordoAbbastanza d'accordoNé d'accordo né in disaccordoAbbastanza in disaccordoMolto in disaccordoNon saprei1…28%22%3%35%29%9%17%19%14%9%10%70%9%17%2…2…3%Favorevole ai vacciniContrario ai vacciniFavorevole ai vacciniTotaleL

A point discussed will then be the introduction of the anti Covid vaccine among the mandatory ones. On a national scale, the question divides in half: 51% are in favor of mandatory. Among those in favor of the vaccine, the agreement towards compulsory law rises to 63%, while it collapses to 4% among those opposed to vaccination.

Compared to previous years, 11% more people would like to have the flu vaccine.

Have you ever had a flu shot? | Are you planning to get the flu shot this year?
Base : 2051 Italians 18+

SìNoNon saprei35%46%54%34%12%20%LLAnni precedentiQuest'anno

Finally, the vaccination campaign has sensitized many more people this year. If in recent years 35% have undergone the flu vaccine, this year 46% would like to do so (+ 11%). The main reason is not to confuse flu symptoms with those of Covid-19 (59%), sometimes very similar. Many would like to protect themselves because of their risk status (due to other diseases -21%, age - 20%, or their profession - 13%). Almost one in 2 people, on the other hand, hopes that the flu vaccine will also have protective effects against the new Coronavirus (17%).

The main reason is to distinguish the flu from the symptoms caused by the Coronavirus. But for some there is hope that it will also protect against Covid-19.

For which of the following reasons will you / have you had the flu shot this year?

Base : 2051 Italians 18+

59%25%21%20%17%13%Sono a rischio a causa della miaprofessioneNon confondere i sintomiinfluenzali con quelli del CovidConsiglio del medicoSono a rischio a causa di altrepatologieSono a rischio a causa della miaetàPer proteggermi dal CovidSono a rischio a causa della miaprofessioneL

(YouGov)

October 20, 2020

Source: https://it.yougov.com/news/2020/10/20/vaccino-covid/

660-43-07/Poll

What is the general opinion about the coronavirus in Sweden?

We compare Sweden with other countries using YouGov's COVID-19 tracker

As of this writing, Sweden has the thirteenth highest death toll per capita among all countries in the world - significantly higher than its neighbors in the Nordic countries, but not as high as in Spain, Italy, the USA and the United Kingdom.

Anyone who expects these figures to mean that the Swedes think that the government has failed is, however, completely wrong.

On the contrary: Anders Tegnell - the current state epidemiologist in Sweden and one of the architects behind the country's handling of the coronavirus - is extremely popular. 65% have a positive image of Anders Tegnell and less than a quarter (24%) have something negative to say about him.

Johan Carlson - Director General of the Swedish Public Health Agency, who is responsible for the Swedish handling of the pandemic - is perceived in much the same way, even though he is not as well known. Almost twice as many have a positive image of Johan Carlson compared to those who have a negative image (45% versus 22%).

Most Swedes believe that the government has handled the covid-19 crisis well (54%), which can be compared with 39% being negative.

Although this does not directly give Sweden a high ranking in terms of confidence in the government - 12th place among the 17 countries surveyed since the end of September - it is still significantly higher than for countries that have had a stricter strategy for closure, such as Spain ( 33%), the United Kingdom (32%) and France (29%). The figure is still less positive than for neighbors in the region, such as Denmark (77%), Norway (75%) and Finland (65%).

In addition, 69% of Swedes state that they have great or fairly great confidence in the national health authorities' handling of the infection, thus Swedes have greater confidence in the Public Health Agency's actions compared with the government's.

Swedes are among those who are least worried about the coronavirus

The Swedes are among those who are most optimistic that the situation regarding the coronavirus is improving in their country. Until very recently, most Swedes felt that the situation was getting better, more than in any other western country (this has been the case since the end of August) and many countries in Asia.

Now that cases are increasing again in Sweden, this figure has decreased to 30% - a level in line with the neighboring countries Denmark (34%) and Norway (31%), but still higher than in the countries of the rest of Europe (9–17%).

Perceived national improvement

Throughout the corona crisis, Swedes have been among those who are least afraid of being affected by the corona virus. The proportion who state that they themselves are "very" or "quite" afraid of being affected by the coronavirus reached a peak level of 53% in mid-April. This means that Sweden ended up in place 20 out of 26 countries when it comes to personal concerns about the virus.

In mid-October, only 41% were equally afraid of infection, a figure that has hardly changed compared to the previous survey, when it was 38%. This is despite the fact that the number of people who believe that the crisis is worsening in Sweden has increased dramatically. There is only one country in the survey where fewer people are afraid of contracting the disease: Finland, at 35%.

Fewer Swedes take measures to protect themselves against the coronavirus compared with other countries surveyed. Among the countries surveyed are the Swedes:

Least likely to wear face mask - 9%
Least likely to avoid tourists - 29%
Least likely to sharpen their personal hygiene - 56%
Together with Denmark least likely to avoid places with crowds - 58%
Among the least likely to avoid touching objects in public places - 46%, as one of seven countries in the bottom, where the level is 40-46%

(YouGov)

October 22, 2020

Source: https://yougov.se/news/2020/10/22/hur-ser-den-allmanna-opinionen-om-coronaviruset-ut/

660-43-08/Poll

Do fans support Premier League staff and players taking the knee for BLM?

Fans are nearly split over the issue, but lean more towards approval of the gesture

There have been many changes made to top flight football since its return from lockdown, and even more with the beginning of the new season. One change that has carried over from the tail end of last season is players and staff taking a knee before each game to display solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement taking place across the world.

Sport and politics have long been intertwined, with political gestures not an uncommon sight at global sporting events. There are, however, some who did not approve of players taking this particular stance, with a “white lives matter” banner flown over the Etihad Stadium in June during Burnley’s away match to Manchester City.

But what is fans’ attitude to the gesture made by players and others before kick-off? The latest YouGov Sport research shows that fans are nearly split over whether they approve or disapprove of taking a knee; but lean more towards approval of the gesture.

Of Premier League fans, just shy of half (49%) say they approve of players and staff taking the knee in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, compared to 41% who disapprove of them doing so. A tenth (10%) of fans are undecided on the issue.

Fans from an ABC1 background are more likely to be approving (56%) compared to those from a C2DE background (29%). There is also a geographic split, with Premier League fans in the capital (59%) more approving of those elsewhere in England, such as 49% of fans in the North and 47% in the South who say the same.

(YouGov)

October 16, 2020

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/sport/articles-reports/2020/10/16/do-fans-support-premier-league-players-knee-blm

660-43-09/Poll

Has the pandemic changed how we buy toiletries?

The coronavirus outbreak has made consumers more open to buying toiletries online and has impacted personal grooming habits

The pandemic has made increasing numbers of shoppers adapt to buying toiletries online – and some will continue to do so permanently, YouGov data suggests.

The research shows that the number of people only buying toiletries in-store dropped from 61% before the pandemic to 50% during the national lockdown in the spring. At the same time, the proportion of consumers only shopping online rose from 6% to 30%, while those purchasing both online and offline fell from 33% to 21%.

As the nation emerged from lockdown this summer, these habits persisted. About half were still only buying toiletries in-store (53%), while one in six (16%) kept purchasing exclusively online and a third (33%) did both.

When comparing pre-lockdown buying habits with future purchasing intent there is no significant change in the proportion of consumers expecting only to buy toiletries over the internet (6% vs 8%). However, there is an increase when it comes to buying both online and offline (33% vs 41%). This is almost mirrored by a decline in the proportion planning only to buy toiletries from physical shops (61% vs 51%).

The research shows that most people still prefer buying in-store (62%) because they find it easier to browse and compare prices and products, as well as being more convenient. However, approaching three in ten consumers (28%) favour web-based purchases, driven by online delivery and a dislike of wearing masks.

Changes to personal grooming habits in lockdown are unlikely to be permanent

While 6% of consumers spent more time on personal grooming during lockdown, two in five people (39%) spent less. With less grooming taking place, the research finds that about a quarter of consumers (27%) bought fewer toiletries.

Those who didn’t buy as many products during lockdown said it was because they were not going outside much (69%) and used up products more slowly (50%). Another two in five (38%) said that not going out to work made them buy fewer toiletries.

The data suggests that, once the pandemic is over, people are likely to go back to their old habits. Three quarters (75%) expect to spend the same amount of time grooming in the future as they did before the pandemic. One in ten (10%) think they will spend more time doing it, while 8% think they will spend less.

Similarly, eight in ten (81%) believe they will buy the same amount of toiletries in the future than they did before the pandemic hit, while 6% think they will buy fewer products and 6% reckon they will purchase more.

Consumers who expect to buy toiletries online are equally likely to buy from Amazon (34%), online grocery stores (33%) and pharmacy websites (31%). This balance suggests there is a decent opportunity for all industry-players to grow their customer base.

(YouGov)

October 15, 2020

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/health/articles-reports/2020/10/15/has-pandemic-changed-how-we-buy-toiletries

660-43-10/Poll

Most Brits think targeted ads are creepy

People who feel especially strongly about personalised ads are generally more distrustful and have a more negative outlook on technology

Nearly three in five (57%) people either tend to (34%) or definitely (27%) agree that personalised ads ‘creep them out’.

Britons who ‘definitely’ feel uneasy about targeted promotions generally display lower levels of trust and are more sceptical of technology. A majority (58%) distrust the people and organisations they perceive to be most powerful in society. This is much higher than among the general population (47%).

A quarter (24%) believe technological and social change in the next two decades will impact them negatively, compared with just under a fifth of all Brits (18%). Nearly two in five (37%) also say technology will make communities less connected – seven points above the wider public. And a fifth (20%) even say it’s a force for bad, which is also higher than among all Brits (15%).

This kind of scepticism characterises many of their attitudes. Brits who are uncomfortable with personalisation are more inclined to think ads are waste of time (55% vs 41%), that banks try to trick people out of their money (46% vs 35%) and that weddings are a waste of cash (49% vs 41%).

Demographically, people who are ‘definitely’ creeped out by targeted ads are often millennials (38% vs 30% of the wider population). Over a third (36%) finished education at the age of twenty or later, which is six points above the national average – and they are slightly more left-leaning than the wider nation at 33% vs 28%.

(YouGov)

October 15, 2020

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/technology/articles-reports/2020/10/15/most-brits-think-targeted-ads-are-creepy

660-43-11/Poll

Which Brits want streaming services to offer group deals?

Families are more likely to want a group deal from content streaming sites

YouGov Profiles asks Brits whether they think streaming services should better cater to groups by offering subscription deals for groups.

Overall 55% of the general public agree that streaming service providers could do more to offer group subscriptions, with 28% saying they neither agree nor disagree and 18% opposing the idea.

The idea most appeals to parents of younger families, with nearly two thirds (64%) of parents agreeing with the statement, another 22% of parents with children under 16 disagree.

YouGov Profiles also allows us to explore other demographics. Looking at age, respondents are evenly distributed across the age brackets. They are slightly less likely to be younger, with only 16% aged between 18 and 24.

At the other end of the scale, a plurality (the largest group but one that is not a majority) are aged 55 or older (25%). When it comes to gender, the group is split nearly 50/50, with half (51%) of those who think streaming services should offer more group subscriptions being male, and the remaining 49% being female.

What drives these Brits to streaming services?

Brits who would like to see more group subscription options are most likely to use video streaming services due to the convenience offered, and are more likely to do so than the general population (27% versus 21%). Another 19% say they use video streaming services because they enable access to shows not offered by traditional broadcasters.

A similar proportion (18%) also say they use streaming services as they make it easier to find the content they want, and 13% say they use these services because streaming is cheaper than more traditional forms of television entertainment.

(YouGov)

October 14, 2020

Source: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/media/articles-reports/2020/10/14/which-brits-want-streaming-services-offer-group-de

660-43-12/Poll

NORTH AMERICA

More Voters Than in Prior Years Say Election Outcome Matters

While few voters (2%) say the election matters less than in the past, 21% think it matters about the same.

ElectionMat

Line graph. Registered voters' belief that the outcome of this year's presidential election matters more than in previous years since 1996. It is currently 77%, the highest on record and up six points since 2016.

These findings, from a Sept. 14-28 poll, mark the seventh consecutive presidential election in which Gallup has tracked this measure. The previous six readings were taken closer to the election date, but this should not be of consequence given that more voters than ever in U.S. history are voting early this year, either in person or by mail as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Since 2004, at least seven in 10 voters have regarded each election as more consequential than those before it. However, far fewer voters considered the 1996 and 2000 elections as mattering more than the previous election, as 41% and 47%, respectively, said as much. This shift may have been a result of the 2000 election when the outcome of the election was ultimately decided by the U.S. Supreme Court after close vote totals in Florida necessitated a recount.

Partisans' Views of Election Depend on Which Party Is in Power

While broad majorities across the political spectrum say this year's election is more important, Democrats are slightly more likely than Republicans to say so -- 85% vs. 79%. Independents (69%) are less likely to say this year's election matters more, as is typically the case. Democrats' current reading is the highest on record for the party and is up 16 points from 2016 -- and it matches Republicans' views in 2012 when President Barack Obama was up for reelection. Republicans' views on the election are unchanged from 2016.

ElectionMatters1

Line graph. Partisan registered voters' belief that the outcome of this year's presidential election matters more than in previous years since 1996. Currently, 85% of Democrats, 79% of Republicans and 69% of independents say this election matters more.

Partisans' views of how much each election mattered have varied based on the sitting president's party. That is, in every year that a Republican president was in the White House, Democrats were more likely than Republicans to say they thought the election mattered more than those prior. Likewise, each year the sitting president was a Democrat, Republicans were more likely to say the election mattered more.

Partisan Voters' Views That Election Outcome Matters More Than Past Depends on Sitting President's Party

% Saying election matters more

	Democrats	Republicans	Advantage	Party of sitting president
	%	%	pct. pts.
2020	85	79	D +6	Republican
2016	69	80	R +11	Democrat
2012	66	85	R +19	Democrat
2008	80	74	D +6	Republican
2004	77	69	D +8	Republican
2000	45	52	R +7	Democrat
1996	45	47	R +2	Democrat
GALLUP

Turnout Directly Linked to Voters' Belief Election Matters More

Voter turnout has historically followed the same trajectory as the measure tracking how much the election matters. The more intently the electorate has viewed the election as mattering more than prior years, the higher voter turnout has been.

The correlation between Americans' view that the election matters more and voter turnout has been 0.98 since 1996. This is on a scale from -1.0 to 1.0, where a score of 1.0 represents a perfect correlation -- meaning the two figures move at the same rate in the same direction. A score of zero would indicate no correlation, while a score of -1.0 would represent a perfect negative correlation -- meaning the figures move at the same rate in opposite directions.

Voter Turnout Connected With Voters' Belief That Election Matters More

	This election matters more	Voter turnout
	%	%
2016	71	60.1
2012	70	58.6
2008	74	61.6
2004	72	60.1
2000	47	54.2
1996	41	51.7
GALLUP AND U.S. ELECTIONS PROJECT

In 2008, when voter turnout was at its highest point since 1968 and 61.6% of eligible voters went to the polls, 74% of voters had said the election outcome mattered more to them.

Bottom Line

The 2020 election is unique given that, amid the coronavirus pandemic, early voting is already reaching record-high levels. While some election indicators suggest that this year might not be remarkable in terms of turnout, the latest reading on Gallup's 24-year measure tracking voters' view that the election matters more than in the past suggests that turnout in this year's election could be significantly higher than it has been in recent years. In fact, looking at this measure only, turnout would likely surpass the recent high of nearly 62% citizen participation in 2008.

(Gallup USA)

October 19, 2020

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/322010/voters-prior-years-say-election-outcome-matters.aspx

660-43-13/Poll

Americans' Social Distancing Habits Have Tapered Since July

SD Habits

Line graph. Americans' social distancing habits over the last week. 70% of Americans have avoided large crowds. 53% in the U.S. have avoided public places. 45% of Americans have avoided small gatherings.

The latest data are from Gallup's September 14-27 online, probability-based panel survey tracking Americans' attitudes and behaviors related to the pandemic. If the percentage of Americans who avoid small gatherings continues to decline, it may be of particular concern as the holiday season approaches. CDC Director Robert Redfield recently warned U.S. governors that "small household gatherings" are contributing to the current rise in cases in many states and stressed that people should be wary of relaxing their adherence to social distancing guidelines during the holidays.

Asked how often they have practiced social distancing in the past 24 hours, 40% of Americans currently say they have "always" and 32% say they have "very often" done so. The combined 72% is virtually unchanged from the 73% who gave one of these responses in late August, but like the indicators reported above, the trend has tapered somewhat since mid-July.

SD-24 hours

Line graph. Americans' frequency of practice of social distancing in the past 24 hours. 72% of Americans say they have done so always or very often. 40% say of Americans say they have always done so.

Face mask use has leveled off at just over nine in 10 Americans

The prevalence of face masks may be one factor in the recent tapering of Americans' social distancing behaviors. Mask use has become routine for the vast majority of Americans; since mid-July, at least 90% report having worn a mask when outside their home in the past week. Large majorities of Americans across demographic groups like age and political party now say they wear masks in public. A previous analysis from the Franklin Templeton-Gallup Economics of Recovery Study has suggested widespread mask use increases Americans' confidence that they can avoid COVID-19 infection in public places.

MaskUse

Line graph. The percentages of Americans who have worn masks in the last week. Currently, 91% of Americans say they have used a mask in the last week. Americans' mask use has been at 90% or higher since mid-July of this year.

However, Gallup's tracking polls have also demonstrated that Americans are much more likely to say they wear masks outside the home in indoor settings, such as offices or stores -- where they are often required to do so -- than in outdoor settings when they cannot socially distance.

Implications

As the pandemic has stretched past the six-month mark and precautions like social distancing and mask use have become more habitual parts of daily life, Americans' tendency to avoid contact with others outside their household has waned somewhat, though such practices are still common. The percentage who are largely isolating themselves by avoiding public places and small gatherings reached new lows in the most recent survey.

These trends correspond to others showing that more Americans are resuming some aspects of their pre-COVID routines. For example, one-third of U.S. workers (33%) currently say they are "always" working remotely to avoid coronavirus infections, down from about half (51%) last April.

However, coronavirus cases are currently rising again in much of the U.S. Many public health officials -- including leaders in the World Health Organization -- are hoping to avoid the most socially and economically detrimental responses, such as the lockdowns imposed when the pandemic began last spring. Their ability to deploy less disruptive containment measures may depend in large part on Americans' ongoing adherence to precautionary measures like social distancing and mask use -- even in circumstances such as small family gatherings or outdoor events, where they are not required to do so.

(Gallup USA)

October 19, 2020

Source: https://news.gallup.com/poll/322064/americans-social-distancing-habits-tapered-july.aspx

660-43-14/Poll

64% of Americans say social media have a mostly negative effect on the way things are going in the U.S. today

Those who have a negative view of the impact of social media mention, in particular, misinformation and the hate and harassment they see on social media. They also have concerns about users believing everything they see or read – or not being sure about what to believe. Additionally, they bemoan social media’s role in fomenting partisanship and polarization, the creation of echo chambers, and the perception that these platforms oppose President Donald Trump and conservatives.

How we did this

The public’s views on the positive and negative effect of social media vary widely by political affiliation and ideology. Across parties, larger shares describe social media’s impact as mostly negative rather than mostly positive, but this belief is particularly widespread among Republicans.

Roughly half of Democrats and independents who lean toward the Democratic Party (53%) say social media have a largely negative effect on the way things are going in the country today, compared with 78% of Republicans and leaners who say the same. Democrats are about three times as likely as Republicans to say these sites have a mostly positive impact (14% vs. 5%) and twice as likely to say social media have neither a positive nor negative effect (32% vs. 16%).

Among Democrats, there are no differences in these views along ideological lines. Republicans, however, are slightly more divided by ideology. Conservative Republicans are more likely than moderate to liberal Republicans to say social media have a mostly negative effect (83% vs. 70%). Conversely, moderate to liberal Republicans are more likely than their conservative counterparts to say social media have a mostly positive (8% vs. 4%) or neutral impact (21% vs. 13%).

Younger adults are more likely to say social media have a positive impact on the way things are going in the country and are less likely to believe social media sites have a negative impact compared with older Americans. For instance, 15% of those ages 18 to 29 say social media have a mostly positive effect on the way things are going in the country today, while just 8% of those over age 30 say the same. Americans 18 to 29 are also less likely than those 30 and older to say social media have a mostly negative impact (54% vs. 67%).

However, views among younger adults vary widely by partisanship. For example, 43% of Democrats ages 18 to 29 say social media have a mostly negative effect on the way things are going, compared with about three-quarters (76%) of Republicans in the same age group. In addition, these youngest Democrats are more likely than their Republican counterparts to say social media platforms have a mostly positive (20% vs. 6%) or neither a positive nor negative effect (35% vs. 18%) on the way things are going in the country today. This partisan division persists among those 30 and older, but most of the gaps are smaller than those seen within the younger cohort.

Views on the negative impact of social media vary only slightly between social media users (63%) and non-users (69%), with non-users being slightly more likely to say these sites have a negative impact. However, among social media users, those who say some or a lot of what they see on social media is related to politics are more likely than those who say a little or none of what they see on these sites is related to politics to think social media platforms have a mostly negative effect on the way things are going in the country today (65% vs. 50%).

Past Pew Research Center studies have drawn attention to the complicated relationships Americans have with social media. In 2019, a Center survey found that 72% of U.S. adults reported using at least one social media site. And while these platforms have been used for political and social activism and engagement, they also raise concerns among portions of the population. Some think political ads on these sites are unacceptable, and many object to the way social media platforms have been weaponized to spread made-up news and engender online harassment. At the same time, a share of users credit something they saw on social media with changing their views about a political or social issue. And growing shares of Americans who use these sites also report feeling worn out by political posts and discussions on social media.

Those who say social media have negative impact cite concerns about misinformation, hate, censorship; those who see positive impact cite being informed

When asked to elaborate on the main reason why they think social media have a mostly negative effect on the way things are going in this country today, roughly three-in-ten (28%) respondents who hold that view mention the spreading of misinformation and made-up news. Smaller shares reference examples of hate, harassment, conflict and extremism (16%) as a main reason, and 11% mention a perceived lack of critical thinking skills among many users – voicing concern about people who use these sites believing everything they see or read or being unsure about what to believe.

In written responses that mention misinformation or made-up news, a portion of adults often include references to the spread, speed and amount of false information available on these platforms. (Responses are lightly edited for spelling, style and readability.) For example:

“They allow for the rampant spread of misinformation.” –Man, 36

“False information is spread at lightning speed – and false information never seems to go away.” –Woman, 71

“Social media is rampant with misinformation both about the coronavirus and political and social issues, and the social media organizations do not do enough to combat this.” –Woman, 26

“Too much misinformation and lies are promoted from unsubstantiated sources that lead people to disregard vetted and expert information.” –Woman, 64

People’s responses that centered around hate, harassment, conflict or extremism in some way often mention concerns that social media contributes to incivility online tied to anonymity, the spreading of hate-filled ideas or conspiracies, or the incitement of violence.

“People say incendiary, stupid and thoughtless things online with the perception of anonymity that they would never say to someone else in person.” –Man, 53

“Promotes hate and extreme views and in some cases violence.” –Man, 69

“People don’t respect others’ opinions. They take it personally and try to fight with the other group. You can’t share your own thoughts on controversial topics without fearing someone will try to hurt you or your family.” –Woman, 65

“Social media is where people go to say some of the most hateful things they can imagine.” –Man, 46

About one-in-ten responses talk about how people on social media can be easily confused and believe everything they see or read or are not sure about what to believe.

“People believe everything they see and don’t verify its accuracy.” –Man, 75

“Many people can’t distinguish between real and fake news and information and share it without doing proper research …” –Man, 32

“You don’t know what’s fake or real.” –Man, 49

“It is hard to discern truth.” –Woman, 80

“People cannot distinguish fact from opinion, nor can they critically evaluate sources. They tend to believe everything they read, and when they see contradictory information (particularly propaganda), they shut down and don’t appear to trust any information.” –Man, 42

Smaller shares complain that the platforms censor content or allow material that is biased (9%), too negative (7%) or too steeped in partisanship and division (6%).

“Social media is censoring views that are different than theirs. There is no longer freedom of speech.” –Woman, 42

“It creates more divide between people with different viewpoints.” –Man, 37

“Focus is on negativity and encouraging angry behavior rather than doing something to help people and make the world better.” –Woman, 66

Far fewer Americans – 10% – say they believe social media has a mostly positive effect on the way things are going in the country today. When those who hold these positive views were asked about the main reason why they thought this, one-quarter say these sites help people stay informed and aware (25%) and about one-in-ten say they allow for communication, connection and community-building (12%).

“We are now aware of what’s happening around the world due to the social media outlet.” –Woman, 28

“It brings awareness to important issues that affect all Americans.” –Man, 60

“It brings people together; folks can see that there are others who share the same/similar experience, which is really important, especially when so many of us are isolated.” –Woman, 36

“Helps people stay connected and share experiences. I also get advice and recommendations via social media.” –Man, 32

“It keeps people connected who might feel lonely and alone if there did not have social media …” – Man, 65

Smaller shares tout social media as a place where marginalized people and groups have a voice (8%) and as a venue for activism and social movements (7%).

“Spreading activism and info and inspiring participation in Black Lives Matter.” –Woman, 31

“It gives average people an opportunity to voice and share their opinions.” –Man, 67

“Visibility – it has democratized access and provided platforms for voices who have been and continue to be oppressed.” –Woman, 27

Note: This is part of a series of blog posts leading up to the 2020 presidential election that explores the role of social media in politics today. Here are the questions used for this report, along with responses, and its methodology.

(PEW)

October 15, 2020

Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/10/15/64-of-americans-say-social-media-have-a-mostly-negative-effect-on-the-way-things-are-going-in-the-u-s-today/

660-43-15/Poll

Latino voters have growing confidence in Biden on key issues, while confidence in Trump remains low

About two-thirds of Latino registered voters say they are somewhat or very confident in Biden to tackle five issues asked about in October, with confidence in Biden higher on every issue since June. The share with confidence in Biden to handle the public health impact of the coronavirus outbreak is up 8 percentage points, 71% in October vs. 62% in June. The largest increase – 15 points – came on confidence in Biden’s ability to bring the country closer together, a margin of 70% vs. 55%. Meanwhile, 66% have confidence in Biden to make good decisions about economic policy, up from 58% who said so in June. In an earlier survey this summer, Latino voters said the economy, health care and the coronavirus outbreak were three of the most important issues to their vote for president.

U.S. registered voters overall also express growing confidence on Biden on these issues, though the increases were more modest and confidence was lower than among Latino voters. For example, 57% of U.S. voters say they have confidence in Biden to handle the public health impact of the coronavirus outbreak, up from 52% in June.

How we did this

Latino voters have significantly less confidence in Trump on these issues. Fewer than half say they are somewhat or very confident that he can handle the five issues, with views on most largely unchanged since summer. Only about three-in-ten Latino voters (29%) say they are confident that Trump can handle the health impact of the coronavirus outbreak. A higher share (44%) are confident that Trump can make good decisions about economic policy. Notably, a declining share of Latino voters say they have confidence that the president can bring the country closer together – 20% in October, down from 28% in June.

Among all U.S. voters, confidence in Trump on these issues is also mostly unchanged, though Americans overall have more confidence in the president than Latino voters. Four-in-ten U.S. registered voters (40%) say they have confidence in Trump to handle the health impact of COVID-19, and 30% have confidence that Trump can bring the country closer together. These shares are little changed from June.

A record 32 million Hispanics are projected to be eligible to vote in 2020, a total that for the first time exceeds the number of Black eligible voters in a presidential election. Hispanic voter turnout has historically lagged that of other groups, though turnout spiked among Hispanics and other groups for the 2018 midterms and approached levels normally seen during presidential election years. Even so, Hispanics made up only 8% of all voters in 2018, compared with 10% in 2016. (Explore our interactive maps and tables to see Latino eligible voters by state and congressional district.)

Biden leads among Hispanic voters

Biden holds a 34-point advantage over Trump among Latino eligible voters, far larger than Biden’s 10-point lead among all U.S. voters. In the new survey, 63% of Latino voters say they would vote for Biden or lean toward voting for him if the election were held today, while 29% say they would vote for Trump or lean toward voting for him. In 2016, Latino voters had similar preferences, according to exit polls and a Pew Research Center study of validated voters.

Among Hispanic voters, a higher share of college graduates than those with some college experience or less say they favor Biden, 69% vs. 61%. Meanwhile, 67% of Hispanic women voters and 59% of registered Hispanic men say they prefer Biden.

More Latino voters who support Biden say their choice is more of a vote against Trump than it is a vote for Biden, 59% vs. 40%.

At the same time, Hispanic voters who back Biden are sure about their choice, with 86% saying they are certain they will vote for him – similar to the share among all U.S. voters who support Biden. However, only 57% of Hispanic voters who prefer Biden say they are extremely motivated to vote, a lower share than among the 72% of Biden supporters nationwide.

Hispanic voters in battleground states

Biden holds a narrower lead over Trump (54% vs. 37%) among Latino registered voters in nine “battleground” states – Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Stronger Hispanic support for Trump in battleground states reflects the group’s large population in Florida, where Cuban Americans have helped shape a Hispanic electorate that leans more Republican than Hispanic voters nationwide.

The nine battleground states together have more than 6.3 million Hispanic eligible voters – defined as adult U.S. citizens – and Florida alone (3.1 million) accounts for half of the total. The next largest state is Arizona, with nearly 1.2 million Hispanic eligible voters. In both states, Hispanics make up a fifth or more of all eligible voters – 20% in Florida and 24% in Arizona.

The remaining battleground states, with a combined 2 million Hispanic eligible voters, have smaller but still notable Hispanic electorates. For example, Pennsylvania (521,000), Michigan (261,000) and Wisconsin (183,000) each have sizable numbers of Hispanic eligible voters that can play a role in swinging close elections. In 2016, the presidential contests in these states were decided by a combined total of 77,744 votes.

Impact of COVID-19 on Hispanics

The coronavirus has disproportionately harmed the personal finances of Hispanics, with Hispanic women experiencing the largest job losses of any racial or ethnic group, regardless of gender. About half of Hispanics (53%) say they or someone in their household has been laid off or taken a pay cut because of COVID-19, compared with 42% of all U.S. adults. Since the outbreak started in February, significant shares of Hispanics say they have used money from savings or retirement funds to pay bills (43%), had trouble paying bills (37%), gotten food from a food bank (30%) or had problems paying their rent or mortgage (26%).

Latinos have also experienced disproportionate health impacts from COVID-19. As of mid-August, about one-in-five Latino adults (22%) said they have had a positive coronavirus test (7%) or were “pretty sure” they have had it (15%). By contrast, 14% of all U.S. adults said they have had a positive test (3%) or were pretty sure they have had the virus (11%).

In the new survey, the Hispanic voter groups most confident that Biden can handle the public health impact of the coronavirus outbreak include women (80%) and college graduates (79%). By contrast, lower shares of Hispanic male voters (61%) and Hispanic voters with some college education or less (68%) say they are somewhat or very confident in Biden.

Hispanic voters have far less confidence in Trump’s ability to handle COVID-19, though there are some differences by education. Especially low shares of Hispanic voters who are college graduates (22%) say they have confidence in Trump to handle the public health impact of the coronavirus outbreak, compared with 31% of those with some college education or less. Meanwhile, 26% of Hispanic women voters and 33% of Hispanic male voters have confidence in Trump to handle the outbreak.

Few Latinos view the economy as good, although there is optimism for the future

Roughly three-in-ten Latino registered voters (29%) rate economic conditions in the country as excellent or good, up from 20% in June, but lower than the 35% of all U.S. voters who say so. For Latino voters, the share remains far below the 49% who gave a positive rating to U.S. economic conditions in January, about two months before President Trump declared a national emergency on March 13 due to COVID-19.

Hispanic male voters have a more positive view of the nation’s economy than Hispanic women voters, 34% vs. 23%. Differences also exist by education among Hispanic voters, with 31% of those with some college education or less rating the economy as excellent or good, compared with 22% of college graduates.

Among Biden supporters, only 14% of Latino voters rate the U.S. economy as excellent or good.

Hispanics have some optimism about the future of the economy. About half of Hispanic voters (53%) say they expect economic conditions will be better a year from now, while 30% say conditions will be about the same and 16% say they will worsen.

Older Hispanics have more optimism on this measure than younger Hispanics. About six-in-ten (60%) Hispanic voters ages 50 and older say U.S. economic conditions will be better a year from now, compared with about half (48%) of Hispanic voters ages 18 to 49. Somewhat similar shares of men (57%) and women (49%) among Hispanic voters say economic conditions will have improved in a year. There was no difference by education levels among Hispanic voters, with about half of college graduates and those with some college experience or less saying the economic conditions will be better in a year.

Most Latino voters say they are ‘fearful’ about the state of the nation

Roughly two-thirds of Latino registered voters (68%) say they are fearful about the state of the nation. Meanwhile, 45% of Latino voters say they are hopeful. These views are similar to those reported in June, and similar to those among U.S. voters overall. Latino voters across demographic groups express similar levels of fear when thinking about the state of the country. By contrast, levels of hope for the country among Latino voters vary by gender and education levels.

About half of Hispanic men registered to vote (51%) say they feel hopeful about the state of the country, compared with only 36% of Hispanic women voters. Meanwhile, 37% of Hispanic voters with a bachelor’s degree or more say the feel hopeful, while 47% of Hispanic voters with some college experience or less say the same.

Among Biden supporters, 79% of Latino voters say they feel fearful about the state of the country. Meanwhile, 36% say they feel hopeful.

Latinos voters also had negative views about the nation’s direction. Only one-in-five (21%) say they are satisfied with the way things are going in the country today, a similar share to June (19%) but down from 32% in December 2019.

(PEW)

October 16, 2020

Source: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/10/16/latino-voters-have-growing-confidence-in-biden-on-key-issues-while-confidence-in-trump-remains-low/

AUSTRALIA

660-43-16/Poll

The Great Food Debate

What’s in a name? When it comes to Aussie foods, this varies state-to-state. YouGov looks at what Australians call their favourite local treats and the debate over deep-fried potato slices.

What to call slices of potato dipped in batter and then deep-fried is hotly debated between certain Aussie states. Our data finds that Australians overall most commonly refer to this delicious snack as ‘potato scallops’ (46%). This is followed by ‘potato cake’ (30%), and ‘potato fritter’ (22%) – and a small percentage (2%) refer to it by some other name. In Victoria, this is most commonly called potato cake (74%) and in South Australia, the term potato fritter is preferred (56%). However, potato scallop comes up in top in New South Wales (74%), Queensland (65%) and Western Australia (45%).

Younger Australians (aged 18 to 24) are the most likely to refer to it as potato cakes, and older Australians (aged 50 and above) are the last likely (34% vs. 27%). Conversely, Australians over the age of 50 are the most likely to call this deep-fried snack potato scallops, and those aged 18 to 24 are the least likely (53% vs. 39%).

Even the name of a certain sweet melon is in contention

While eight in ten (78%) Aussies refer to this fruit as ‘rockmelon’, one in five (21%) call it ‘cantaloupe’. Those living in West Australia are the most likely to refer to this fruit as rockmelon (93%), followed by South Australia (90%), Queensland (88%) and New South Wales (87%). In Victoria however, while the population is split between calling this cantaloupe and rockmelon (49% vs. 50%), these residents are more likely to refer to this fruit as a cantaloupe compared to any other state.

Pub food staple chicken parmigiana also has a few nicknames

Amongst Australians overall, the nicknames ‘parmi’ (34%) or ‘parma’ (34%) for this classic Aussie food are equally used, with ‘parmy’ (21%) also in the ring, or even another name entirely (11%).

What to call chicken parmigiana is in contention depending on which state one hails from. In New South Wales is almost evenly split between parmi (34%), parma (26%) and parmy (25%). A similar trend can be seen in Queensland with parmi coming up top (38%), followed closely by parmy (28%) and parma (18%). In South Australia, this is split between parmi (45%) and parmy (37%). In Western Australia this is most commonly known as parmi (51%). Victoria is the only state where the majority are agreed on what to call this cheesy deep fried dish – seven in ten (72%) refer to it as parma.

Australian women are more likely to refer to this dish as parmi than men (38% vs. 29%), and men are more likely to call it parma than women (38% vs. 30%).

Laura Robbie, General Manager of YouGov Australia commented: “Who would’ve thought so much debate would come out of deep-fried battered potatoes, but our data has put the issue to rest with potato scallops being the most agreed upon name in the nation. Whatever you call these beloved foods, it is clear locals have their favourite nicknames.”

(YouGov)

October 21, 2020

Source: https://au.yougov.com/news/2020/10/21/great-food-debate/

MULTICOUNTRY STUDIES

660-43-17/Poll

Global majority seeks trustworthy news but may be vulnerable to disinformation

Ipsos research for the Trust Project finds limited appetite to pay for news and more confidence in one’s own acumen about the reliability of sources than in other people’s.

Around the globe, eight in ten adults make sure the news they rely on comes from trustworthy sources, according to Trust Misplaced?, a report from Ipsos and the Trust Project on the future of trust in media. The report is grounded by two Ipsos Global Advisor surveys spanning 29 nations. Half of those surveyed (49%) say they generally make sure the news they read, watch or listen to come from trustworthy sources and one third (33%) say they occasionally do so. Two thirds (64%) say they have easy access to news they can trust.

Behind these encouraging signs, however, lies possible fertile ground for the continued spread of disinformation. Globally, 67% of adults say they only read news they can access for free, while only 29% say they are able and 27% are willing to pay for news from sources they trust. Many are confident in their ability to spot “fake news” (58 %) although they are less confident in their fellow citizens’ ability to do so (30%). Only about half of all respondents (46%) believe other countries target people in their country with disinformation, even in the United States (58%) and Great Britain (54%) where it has been widely documented.

Additional Key Findings

The percentage of adults who seek out sources of trustworthy news at least occasionally ranges from as much as 94% in Peru and 92% in Colombia, Chile, and South Africa to a low of 65% in Japan and 66% in South Korea.

Every country surveyed shows a majority agreeing they have easy access to news they trust and fewer than one in five disagreeing with the sole exception of Japan (25% agree vs. 23% disagree while 53% neither agree nor disagree).

Globally, most adults surveyed frequently get news from a variety of media sources. Nearly three quarters report getting their news at least three times a week from television (74%) and social media (72%), six in ten from news websites (62%) and news apps (61%), four in ten from radio (42%), and one in four from print papers and magazines (24%).

Reported ability to pay for news from trustworthy sources varies widely across countries, from as much as 57% in India, 48% in China and 43% in the Netherlands to just 13% in Japan, 15% in Russia and 18% in Spain and France. Willingness to do so shows a very similar pattern.

Confidence in one’s ability to tell “real news from fake news” is highest in Latin America, the Middle East and English-speaking countries and lowest in Japan, South Korea, continental Europe and Russia.

Globally, the percentage of those confident in their own ability to tell real news is 28 points higher than percentage expressing confidence in their country men and women to do so. The difference exceeds 40 points in Great Britain, Hungary and the United States; in contrast, it is less than 10 points in Saudi Arabia, China and Japan.

Those who agree with populist or nativist ideas are more prone to being exposed to disinformation:

Globally, those who agree that “experts in this country don’t understand the lives of people like me” are more likely than those who disagree to only read news they can access for free (72% vs. 62%).
Those who agree “we need a strong leader willing to break the rules” and those who agree their country “would be stronger if we stopped immigration” are more likely than those who disagree with those statements to trust news shared by people they only know through the internet (by 10 and 11 points, respectively) and to be confident that the average person can tell real news from fake news (also by 10 and 11 points, respectively).

“Truth is rapidly becoming a subjective, personal concept ruled mostly by emotions. We now speak our truth as opposed to the truth. At least that’s what we see reported and lamented by many commentators these days," Darrell Bricker PhD, Global Service Line Leader, Public Affairs writes in the report. "But this isn’t what we are seeing in our surveys. There continue to be points of public consensus on many issues based on a broad acceptance of what we see the truth to be."

“Truth and trustworthiness, while at risk, are clearly sought after across the globe,” said Sally Lehrman, CEO and founder of the Trust Project. “This data is a call to action for news organizations to emphasize the values and integrity behind their work and win over a larger audience that is willing to pay.”

(Ipsos)

October 14, 2020

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en/global-majority-seeks-trustworthy-news-may-be-vulnerable-disinformation

660-43-18/Poll

Job loss is a concern for half of workers across the world

Job insecurity and ability to the learn essential new skills on the job vary widely across countries.

Two thirds of workers worldwide say they can learn and develop skills needed for the jobs of the future through their current employer. While nearly nine in ten workers in Spain report being able to gain essential new skills on the job, fewer than half in Japan, Sweden and Russia do.

Concern about job loss

On average, 54% of employed adults from 27 countries say they are concerned about losing their job in the next 12 months (17% are very concerned and 37% somewhat concerned). The prevalence of being concerned about losing one’s job in the next year ranges from 75% in Russia, 73% in Spain, and 71% in Malaysia, to just 26% in Germany, 30% in Sweden, and 36% in the Netherlands and the United States.

Ability to acquire new skills

Globally, 67% of employed adults surveyed say they can learn and develop skills needed for the jobs of the future through their current employer (23% are very much able to do so, 44% somewhat able). Across the 27 countries, perceived ability to learn and develop those skills on the job is most widespread in Spain (86%), Peru (84%), and Mexico (83%) and least common in Japan (45%), Sweden (46%), and Russia (48%).

New skill acquisition vs. job insecurity

Globally, workers are more likely to say they can learn and develop skills needed for the jobs of the future through their current employer (67%) than to express concern about losing their job in the next 12 months (54%), a difference of 13 percentage points. The countries where those who can gain new skills on the job outnumber those who are concerned about losing their job by the largest margins are the United States and Germany (by 40 points). In reverse, job loss concern is more prevalent than perceived ability to acquire skills in Russia (by 28 points) and, to a lesser extent in Malaysia, Poland, Japan, Turkey, and South Korea.

(Ipsos)

October 19, 2020

Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en/workers-concerns-about-job-loss-and-access-new-skills-27-countries

660-43-19/Poll

Most people would get COVID-19 vaccine if offered by govt or employer

Some 71.5% of participants said they would be very or somewhat likely to take a COVID-19 vaccine and 61.4% reported they would accept their employer’s recommendation to do so, according to the survey in June of more than 13,000 people in 19 countries.

The poll was overseen by the Vaccine Confidence Project (VCP), a global surveillance programme on vaccine trust funded by the European Commission and pharmaceutical companies among others, as well as Business Partners to CONVINCE, a U.S./British initiative that is partly government funded.

All respondents, regardless of nationality, said they would be less likely to accept a COVID-19 vaccine if it were mandated by employers.

There were regional differences in responses though, highlighting the polarisation in attitudes on the topic.

Almost 90% of participants in China said they accepted a vaccine, but the rate in Russia was less than 55%. In France, the positive response rate 58.89%, compared with 75.4% in the United States and 71.48% in Britain.

At least 60-70% of the population would need to have immunity to break the chain of transmission, according to the World Health Organization.

Respondents were aged 18 years or older from 19 countries from among the top 35 countries affected by the pandemic in terms of cases per million population.

The results will likely stir the debate about how to overcome public safety concerns, particularly in Western countries, about the frenetic speed of work to develop vaccines, potentially hampering efforts to control the pandemic and revive the global recovery.

There are about 200 COVID-19 vaccine candidates in development globally, including more than 40 in human clinical trials to test for safety and effectiveness. Many are being squeezed into a matter of months for a process that would typically take 10 years or longer.

“VACCINE HESITANCY”

Scott Ratzan, co-leader of Business Partners to CONVINCE and lecturer at CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, said the data demonstrated diminished public trust.

“It will be tragic if we develop safe and effective vaccines and people refuse to take them,” he said in an email.

“We need to develop a robust and sustained effort to address vaccine hesitancy and rebuild public confidence in the personal, family, and community benefits of immunisations.”

Reporting a willingness to get vaccinated might not be necessarily a good predictor of acceptance, as vaccine decisions can change over time.

Also the poll took place before Russia started the mass inoculation of its population with its Sputnik V shot before full studies had been completed and AstraZeneca had to pause its late-stage study in September due to a participant’s illness.

Last month, nine leading U.S. and European vaccine developers issued a pledge to uphold scientific standards and testing rigour.

Last week, Facebook Inc said it would start banning ads that explicitly discouraged people from getting vaccinated.

Even before the pandemic, it was a growing challenge for public health bodies. In January 2019 the World Health Organization named vaccine hesitancy as one of the top 10 global health threats for that year.

Countries where acceptance exceeded 80% tended to be Asian nations, including China, South Korea and Singapore, where there is strong trust in central governments, the study found.

A relatively high tendency toward acceptance in middle-income countries, such as Brazil, India and South Africa, was also observed.

Age also affected attitudes. Older people were more likely to report that they would take a vaccine, whereas younger respondents were more likely to accept an employer’s vaccine recommendation.

This finding might reflect who was actually employed or employable at the time of the survey which was an issue they did not investigate, it said.

(ARY News)

October 20, 2020

Source: https://arynews.tv/en/people-covid19-vaccine-govt-employer/

660-43-20/Poll

How Well Are Countries Keeping Their People Safe?

Across 140 countries surveyed in 2019, scores on the World Risk Poll Government Safety Performance Index (GSPI), a composite measure of how countries are performing in each of these areas, ranged from a high of 93 in Singapore and the United Arab Emirates to a low of 25 in Yemen. The higher the score on the index, the more people thought their respective governments were doing a good job in these three areas.

Bar chart. This chart shows the 10 countries with the highest and lowest scores on the Government Safety Performance Index in 2019. The higher the score on the index, the more people thought their respective governments were doing a good job of keeping food, water and power lines safe.

SCORING THE GOVERNMENT SAFETY PERFORMANCE INDEX (GSPI)

The GSPI uses a simple scoring system for each of the three items. For each question, people who said "yes" were coded 1; people who provided any other answer, including "no," "don't know" or "refused," were coded 0.

Question: In general, in your opinion does the government do a good job ensuring that the following are safe, or not?

A. The food you buy

B. The water you drink

C. Power lines in the city or area where you live

Individual results were averaged, summarized to the country level and multiplied by 100 to aid interpretation. A country's average score could range between 0 (no one said the government was doing a good job) and 100 (everybody believed the government was doing a good job).

The World Risk Poll, the first global study of worry and risk, provides insight into the biggest safety challenges people see facing them today, and how well their governments are fulfilling their mandate to keep people safe.

Singapore and the United Arab Emirates posted the highest GSPI scores in the world, each with a score of 93. Singapore frequently appears at the top of several Gallup World Poll indexes that capture the strength of the country's institutions. For example, Singapore has topped Gallup's Law and Order Index for the past five consecutive years.

Of the 10 countries that scored the lowest on the GSPI, EU member states Croatia and Romania performed poorly. People in both countries also lacked confidence in their government: Just 29% of Croatians and 16% of Romanians said they had confidence in their national government in 2019, according to the Gallup World Poll.

Economy, Politics and Culture Factor Into People's Confidence

The country in which people reside is a critical factor in understanding why people express different levels of confidence in their government's safety performance. Individual ratings of how well a government is functioning in safety-related issues are shaped, to some degree, by the economic, political or cultural context of the society in which they live.

People's feelings about their government's safety performance were also linked to broader feelings about their governing institutions. World Risk Poll results show that factors such as a country's overall economic wealth (GDP) partly shaped people's perceptions of how well their government was faring in keeping their food, water and power lines safe.

However, people's attitudes and personal backgrounds play an even larger role. The following factors were relevant in predicting how a person felt about their government's safety performance:

People who were concerned about the safety of their water -- more so than food or power lines -- gave their government lower-than-average safety performance ratings.
"Social trust" -- a measure of interpersonal and institutional trust based on three questions on the World Risk Poll -- was clearly linked with a country's GSPI performance. In general, countries with high levels of social trust also boasted high GSPI scores. This finding is in line with past research that shows social trust is a vital ingredient in building and maintaining a generally safe and secure society.

People who felt less financially secure also felt that their government was not doing a good job of keeping them safe. Worldwide, the average GSPI score among people who said they were "living comfortably" on their present household income was 75; this fell to 70 among those who said they were "getting by" on their present income and to 62 among those who said they were "finding it difficult" or "very difficult."

Implications

The Government Safety Performance Index is the first cross-country measure of how people rate their government's performance in ensuring the safety of three critical areas of life: food, water and power. It is widely recognized in the fields of political theory and international law that the ability to safely provide these types of essential provisions is one of the foremost obligations of any government; indeed, the United Nations considers access to safe water to be a universal human right.

As such, the GSPI is a barometer of how people assess their respective governments' ability to carry out these crucial responsibilities. The results suggest that, in many countries, people see room for improvement, particularly in the area of ensuring food safety. This is especially true in lower-income countries, which generally posted lower GSPI scores and where, according to other findings from the World Risk Poll, people are more likely to say they are very worried about experiencing serious harm from unsafe food or water in the near future.

Economic development, though, does not solely explain differences in how people (or countries) assess their government's safety performance. Social trust appears to matter too: Countries where social trust is high also tend to register higher GSPI scores than other areas. This finding may have particular resonance in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as some analysts have suggested that social trust may be an important factor in how successful a country is in handling the coronavirus.

(Gallup USA)

October 16, 2020

Source: https://news.gallup.com/opinion/gallup/322022/countries-keeping-people-safe.aspx