Americans divided on whether it' S acceptable for the government to track people who have tested positive for COVID-19 through their cellphone % ofus adults who say it is acceptable or unacceptable for the government to use people 's cellphones to track the location ofpeople Who may have had contact positive for the coronavirus To ensure they are complying limiting social contact during
Americans are split on the acceptability of using cellphone data to trace people’s movements. About half of Americans (52%) say it would be at least somewhat acceptable for the government to use people’s cellphones to track the location of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in order to understand how the virus may be spreading, according to the April survey. Still, 48% of U.S. adults find this practice to be at least somewhat unacceptable. There is far less support when Americans are asked about the government using cellphones to track people’s locations to ensure they are complying with social distancing recommendations: 62% say this is somewhat or very unacceptable, while just 37% say it is somewhat or very acceptable.
Americans divided on whether it' S acceptable for the  | government to track people who have tested positive  | for COVID-19 through their cellphone  | % ofus adults who say it is acceptable or unacceptable for the  | government to use people 's cellphones to track the location ofpeople  | Very Somewhat Somewhat Very  | Who have tested positive for  | the coronavirus in order to  | 24  | 28  | 15  | 33  | understand how the virus  | may be spreading  | NET Acceptable 52  | NET Unacceptable 48  | Who may have had contact  | 19  | 26  | 18  | 37  | with someone who tested  | positive for the coronavirus  | NET Acceptable 45  | NET Unacceptable 54  | To ensure they are complying  | with experts' advice during on  | 14  | 23  | 20  | 43  | limiting social contact during  | the coronavirus outbreak  | NET Unacceptable 62  | NET Acceptable 37  | Note: Those who did not give an answer ware not shown.  | Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted April 7-12, 2020.  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 