Americans Fear Government Censorship More Than AI Threats in Political Speech

Americans Concerned About AI in Politics—But More Worried About Government Censorship

As AI technologies enter political campaigns and ads, many Americans are growing uneasy. Their worries extend beyond deepfakes and misleading content to include how government efforts to combat misinformation might be used to limit free speech.

A recent poll by FIRE, conducted by Morning Consult among registered American voters, highlights one major concern: government regulation itself. Nearly half (45%) expressed strong concern that regulating AI-generated election content could be abused to suppress criticism of elected officials. This signals a distrust in government regulators to fairly manage political expression.

Free Speech vs. Stopping Deceptive Content

When voters were asked to prioritize between protecting free speech and stopping deceptive content in politics, 47% said protecting free speech is more important—even if it means some deceptive content is allowed. Just 37% prioritized stopping deceptive content at the cost of limiting speech protected by the First Amendment. These views are consistent across the political spectrum but are particularly strong among Independents and Republicans.

This is more than a preference; it’s a clear commitment to the fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment. Political speech is central to these freedoms, and Americans recognize that government attempts to control what can be said pose a greater threat to democracy than the risk of harmful speech.

Regulation Risks Silencing Participation

The chilling effects of potential regulation are already visible. About 28% of voters said they would be less likely to share content on social media if the government began regulating AI-generated or altered content—and this applies broadly, not just to AI content. While this percentage might seem modest, it exceeds average voter turnout in recent primary elections. As political discourse shifts online, discouraging speech can significantly impact public engagement.

This trend suggests that regulations intended to protect the public from AI-related misinformation may inadvertently silence public voices instead. Although 41% of voters think protecting people from misinformation is important, this concern cannot justify censorship. About 39% believe preserving free speech should be the government’s top priority when drafting AI laws, while only 12% disagree strongly.

The First Amendment does not allow the government to restrict speech simply because it fears the public could be misled. The answer to bad speech is more speech, not less.

A Call for Caution in Policy Making

These findings should alert policymakers. The public views AI regulation in political campaigns as a potential threat to free expression. Efforts to impose vague or broad bans and disclosure requirements on AI content risk creating a chilling effect, discouraging political expression.

Instead of rushing to regulate, officials should reaffirm their commitment to protecting political speech—regardless of the medium. While AI is new, the principle is not: in a free society, the government does not decide which ideas are too dangerous to be heard.

About the Poll: The survey was conducted May 13-15, 2025, with 2,005 registered voters across the U.S. The margin of error is +/- 2 percentage points. For more details, see Morning Consult.