74% in Japan in favor of social media regulations during elections: Mainichi poll

TOKYO -- Seventy-four percent of respondents to a public opinion survey conducted by the Mainichi Shimbun on May 17 and 18 said that legal regulations on social media activities during election periods, such as profit-driven election campaigning or spreading disinformation, "are necessary."
Only 14% of those who took the poll said regulations under the Public Offices Election Act "are unnecessary," and 11% said they "aren't sure."
Approval for social media regulations during elections exceeded 60% across all age groups. Among those aged 18 to 29, 62% were in favor, compared to over 70% of respondents in their 30s to 50s and more than 80% of those aged 60 and older, showing a trend of increasing support among older generations.
By political party affiliation, over 80% of supporters of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, and Nippon Ishin (the Japan Innovation Party) backed legal regulations. Among supporters of the Democratic Party for the People and Reiwa Shinsengumi, 72% were in favor of such rules.
As the influence of the internet grows rapidly, the spread of false information and defamatory content through social media has become a serious issue in elections. In the Hyogo gubernatorial election in November 2024, questionable posts spread rapidly online, raising concerns about problems such as their impact on the election outcome and human rights violations.
The online poll was carried out via the "d-Survey" method targeting smartphone users, based on a questionnaire service used by members of NTT Docomo Inc.'s "d Point Club" rewards program. Respondents were randomly selected from around 74 million users aged 18 and above across Japan, and valid responses were obtained from 2,045 people.
(Japanese original by Daisuke Nohara, Poll Office)

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