General familiarity with the Intelligence and Security Services Act 2017 (Wiv) has increased compared to a month ago. More than two-thirds of Dutch people (68 percent) have seen, heard or read something about the law and say they are (reasonably) well informed about its content. This is a marked increase from early February, when this was true for 55 percent of Dutch people.
One in six Dutch say they know 'well' what the Wiv entails, half 'approximately'...
If we ask more specific questions about what the Dutch know about the law and its consequences, it turns out that 15 percent say they are well informed about it. The largest group (48%) says they know approximately what is in the new law, while a quarter (24%) know 'a little bit' about the law. One in eight (12%) do not know at all what the law entails.
... but specific parts of the Wiv are still unknown to large parts of the electorate
So while the Dutch say they are reasonably well informed about the new Wiv in general terms, actual (tested) knowledge of specific parts appears to be less.
The powers associated with the untargeted interception of data via cable (also called the "dragnet" by opponents) are most familiar to the Dutch. Six in ten Dutch people (60%) know that the services will have more opportunities to intercept data via cable, including that of innocent citizens. Two thirds (67%) know that this data may be kept for a maximum of three years.
Other powers of the services are known to a minority of Dutch people. This is especially true of sharing information unseen with foreign intelligence services (31% are aware of this), hacking a suspicious computer through a third party (38%) and setting up a DNA database (39%).
Even those who say they are well informed about the law have limited knowledge that the services are given these resources. Of this group, 41 percent know that the services may share unverified information with foreign intelligence agencies, 43 percent are aware that a DNA database can be set up and 51 percent are aware that hacking through a third party is among the possibilities.
Supporters less well informed on parts
If we compare the knowledge of what is in the Wiv among supporters and opponents, a mixed picture emerges. Voters who say they will vote for the Wiv are more familiar with some parts, but less familiar with others.
Proponents are slightly more likely (78%) to know about the retention period than opponents (73%). They are also more likely to know about the new review board and the DNA database. However, they are also more likely to think that intelligence agencies may arrest suspects (47% to 34%), which is not the case.
That the intelligence services will be given the power to intercept data on a larger scale and more indiscriminately via cable, including that of innocent citizens (the "dragnet" power) is better known to intended naysayers (79%) than to supporters (65%). The same goes for third-party hacking (52% versus 43%) and unread information sharing with foreign intelligence agencies (44% versus 36%). So even among opponents, this last power is known to less than half.
Social media monitoring and wiretapping of journalists or lawyers with court permission are about equally familiar to both groups.
About six in 10 voters in referendum in favor of Intelligence and Security Services Act
The difference between supporters and opponents of the Intelligence and Security Services Act has hardly changed in recent months. Now 51 percent are in favor of the new intelligence law, while 30 percent are against it. The group that doesn't know yet has decreased to 19 percent.
If we exclude the group "don't know," the ratio between supporters and opponents is 63 to 37 percent. The share of those in favor has thus increased slightly from early February, when the ratio was 60/40, but is unchanged from the October polls.
Young people remain opposed to new law
As in previous measurements, young people (up to age 34) are on balance opposed to the Wiv. The older people are more often in favor of the Wiv. Among young people, 34 percent favor the new law. This rises to 63 percent among those over 65.
Need for more powers is endorsed
Seven in ten Dutch people endorse the need for Dutch intelligence services (AIVD and MIVD) to have more powers to fight terrorism and crime. Half (50%) are confident that the law contains sufficient safeguards for citizens' rights. A quarter (24%) find these safeguards insufficient. Three in ten Dutch people (29%) feel that the Wiv represents too great an encroachment on privacy in relation to the additional security it provides. More than four in ten Dutch people disagree.
Do not share information unread with foreign intelligence services
Sharing information with foreign intelligence services is one of the issues addressed in the Wiv. On balance, the Dutch believe that information may be shared with foreign intelligence services, but when it is added that Dutch intelligence services do this unread, a majority is against it. From this the conclusion can be drawn that the Dutch consider it important that data be filtered beforehand by the Dutch services before being shared with foreign countries.
Justification
This is according to nationally representative research conducted by I&O Research among 4,413 Dutch people aged 18 and older. The survey was conducted from March 8 to 12, 2018. The results were weighted by gender, age, education, region and voting behavior in the 2017 House of Representatives elections.
Click here to view the full report.
