Survey Shows Americans Have Safety Concerns About Civic Activities

Civic participation is often treated as a question of interest or access, but safety is a huge part of the equation too. We recently commissioned The Harris Poll to survey Americans, and specifically U.S. citizens, about civic engagement, public safety, and facial recognition technology. The responses show that many citizens are uncomfortable participating in political activities in public settings, and some are choosing not to participate at all.

People Have Pulled Back From Civic Activities

Forty-five percent of U.S. citizens said they avoided at least one civic activity in the last six months specifically because they felt unsafe or feared potential confrontation or intimidation. That includes:

• 24% who avoided discussing politics in a public setting
• 19% who avoided attending a political rally or protest
• 15% who avoided attending a local public meeting
• 13% who avoided dropping off a ballot at a public box

The avoidance rate was significantly higher among younger citizens. Sixty-seven percent of Gen Z (ages 18–29) citizens reported opting out of at least one civic activity due to safety concerns, compared to 20% of Baby Boomers (ages 62–80).

Political Gatherings Feel Increasingly Risky

Fifty-one percent of U.S. citizens said they would feel uncomfortable attending a political rally or campaign event given the current political climate. Millennials (ages 30–45) showed the highest comfort level of any generational group surveyed, with 62% saying they would feel comfortable attending a political rally or campaign event (vs. 45% Gen Z, 48% Gen X ages 46–61, and 40% Baby Boomers).

Facial Recognition Adds Another Layer of Concern

The survey also asked about facial recognition technology, specifically in civic contexts. Sixty-three percent of Americans said they are concerned that security cameras with facial recognition technology could be used to track them if they were to exercise their civic rights, such as attending a peaceful protest, a town hall meeting, or a political rally. That concern was bipartisan, with Democrats coming in at 72% and Republicans at 55%.

The Call to Action for Security Operators

When safety concerns keep people away from civic life, participation becomes a privilege rather than a right. Fewer voices are represented in the rooms where decisions get made, and big decisions become less representative of the communities they affect.

Businesses, municipalities, and security professionals should consider taking action in the following ways:

• Increase visible security at civic events and public meetings. A visible security presence can help people feel more comfortable attending spaces where confrontation or other potential threats may be a concern.
• Create clear public policies around facial recognition use. Documenting when security technology is used, who has access to it, and what it is not used for can reduce uncertainty around civic participation.
• Extend security planning beyond official venues. Civic activity doesn’t just happen at town halls or campaign events. Respondents also reported avoiding political discussions in public settings such as parks and festivals, which means security planning should account for these spaces too.
• Reassess event and public space security through a participatory lens. Security planning is often focused on incident response. This data suggests it also plays a role in whether people feel comfortable showing up in the first place.

Create Safer Public Spaces With LVT

LVT (LiveView Technologies) works with cities, municipalities, law enforcement agencies, and event organizers to keep public spaces safe and secure. Our rapidly deployable mobile security units run on solar power, connect to cellular networks, and can be operational in minutes without any existing infrastructure. LVT® Units are highly visible by design, and they combine high-definition cameras, AI-driven analytics, floodlights, and AI audio to deter unwanted behavior.

To learn how LVT can help you create safer public spaces, schedule a demo with our team.

Survey Methodology: 

This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of LVT from March 23–25, 2026, among 2,089 adults ages 18 and older, among whom 2,035 are citizens of the U.S. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured using a Bayesian credible interval. The sample data is accurate to within +/- 2.7 percentage points using a 95% confidence level.