More Americans think location tracking through cellphones won't make a difference in limiting the the of COVID-19 than say it would help % of U.S. adults who say during that ifthe government tracked people's locations the the spread of the virus
As governments around the world turn to technology to help fight the spread of COVID-19, a majority of Americans are skeptical that tracking someone’s location through their cellphone would help curb the outbreak. At the same time, the public holds mixed views on when – and if – this type of monitoring is acceptable.
Six-in-ten Americans say that if the government tracked people’s locations through their cellphone it would not make much of a difference in limiting the spread of the virus, according to a new Pew Research Center survey of U.S. adults conducted April 7-12, 2020. Smaller shares of Americans – about four-in-ten – believe this type of monitoring would help a lot (16%) or a little (22%) in limiting the spread of COVID-19.
Across demographic groups, roughly half or more believe this type of tracking would have little impact on slowing the COVID-19 outbreak. Still, Democrats (46%) and independents (42%) are more likely than Republicans (31%) to say that if the government tracked people’s locations through their cellphone during the outbreak it would help at least a little to limit the spread of the virus.
More Americans think location tracking through  | cellphones won't make a difference in limiting the  | the of COVID-19 than say it would help  | % of U.S. adults who say during that ifthe government tracked people's locations  | the through their cellphone during the coronavirus outbreak it would  | in  | the the spread of the virus  | Help Help  | NET  | Not make much  | of a difference  | a lot  | little help  | U.S adults  | 16  | 22  | 38  | 60  | White  | 13  | 22  | 35  | 64  | 62  | Black 17  | 17  | 34  | 24  | Hispanic  | 26  | 50  | 47  | 63  | HS or less  | 15  | 19  | 34  | 63  | Some college  | 15  | 21  | 36  | 48 58 67  | College grad  | 17  | 25  | 41  | 58  | 23  | 28  | Postgraduate  | 51  | Republican 12  | 19  | 31  | 53  | Democrat  | 20  | 26  | 46  | Independent 18  | 24  | 42  | 57  | Note: White and black adults include only non-Hispanics. Hispanics are of any race. Those  | who did not give an answer are not shown.  | Source: Survey of U.S adults conducted April 7-12, 2020  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 