Gallup - Free Expression on CampusU.S. college students value freedom of speech, but many distrust the press and feel restrictions should be applied to certain forms of speech on campus, according to a March survey that gauged how U.S. college students interpret rights granted by the First Amendment.

The Gallup survey, sponsored by nonprofit journalism advocacy group The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, compared differences in the attitudes toward First Amendment rights between students and the U.S. population as a whole.

Overall, the survey found that students support free speech and press rights as a principle. An overwhelming majority of students polled — 78 percent — believe universities should expose students to different viewpoints, a percentage greater than what was gauged in the greater U.S. adult population, where only 66 percent agreed with this.

Moreover, the survey found college students remain confident regarding the freedoms granted by the First Amendment, where 81 percent reported feeling secure about the freedom of the press today, and 73 percent reported feeling secure about the current state of freedom of speech in the U.S. Each of these categories revealed greater confidence than what was gathered in the wider U.S. adult population, whose feelings about freedom of the press and freedom of speech ranked at only 64 percent and 56 percent, respectively.

A significant minority of college students, however, were willing to entertain restrictions on the press. While nearly three-quarters — 70 percent — of students said they believed students should not be able to prevent the media from covering protests on campus, a percentage lower than U.S. adults — 76 percent — who believed this. More than half of students polled — 54 percent — also said an intellectual climate on campus occasionally prevents some people from saying what they believe because others may find it offensive. Almost a quarter — 22 percent — of students believed colleges should prohibit speech considered biased or offensive.

The survey also found a majority of students remain distrustful of the press. More than half — 59 percent — of college students possess little or no trust in the media to report the news fairly or accurately, nearly half — 49 percent — believe reporters will exhibit bias when covering campus protests and almost the same number — 48 percent — said they have a right to be left alone while attending a protest.

The Gallup survey, which comes at a time when debates regarding limitations to freedom of speech at American colleges and universities, as well as the role and rights the press have in covering campus protests, have been frequent topics of discussion, polled 3,000 students between the ages of 18 and 24 attending a four-year college or university in the U.S.

The full report, as well as its methodology, can be downloaded here.