Do you consider some kinds of speech to be just as bad as violence?
Would you consider resorting to violence to stop speech that you think might be harmful?
A new survey finds that 20% of young adults ages 18 to 29 say violence can be justified to stop harmful speech. The report is from FSU’s Institute for Governance and Civics.
On Speaking Of, institute director Ryan Owens talks about what the findings mean for free speech and political polarization.
On what is considered harmful speech: "We didn't define that in the poll...We kind of put this in the eye of the beholder if you will. From my perspective, I think that makes the results even more alarming because people are able to define harmful as they see fit."
Implications for free speech: "People are being taught that disagreement is a bad thing. Now, when you're getting free speech versus 'hey, let's all get along,' there is a substantial percentage - over a third of people - who are saying 'yeah, yeah, you should just shut up and sit down.' Now, what I'm always interested in with these questions is, who do these people think are going to make the determinations of who can speak and who can't? Is it you? Are you the enlightened dictator, or is it the government? Is it your peers?"
On political polarization: "We're so motivated today by feelings and by just the emotions that drive us, and really, if we want to be free and rational beings, we've got to learn to overcome those impulses."
On a general lack of respect in the culture: "One of the things that I try to drill into my students is the notion of humility. You may believe 100% that your perspective is correct and that everybody else is wrong, but you have to have some humility. At one time in the world we thought that the earth was flat. We don't always know the truth, and it's important for us to understand that."
Click LISTEN above to hear the full segment of Speaking Of.
Here's the press release about the report
TALLAHASSEE, Fla., November 19, 2025 — Nearly one in five young adults (20%) believe physical violence can sometimes be justified to stop someone from engaging in "harmful" public speech, according to a new national survey released today by Florida State University's Institute for Governance and Civics (IGC).
The findings, presented in a comprehensive report titled Americans' Troubling Views on Speech, Harm, and Violence, reveal sharp generational divides with profound implications for civic discourse and democratic norms.
The survey of 1,447 U.S. adults was conducted September 17-23, 2025. The timing offers a critical snapshot of public attitudes during a moment of heightened concern about the intersection of free speech and political extremism.
Key Findings
20% of young adults (ages 18-29) say violence can sometimes be justified to stop "harmful" speech – nearly double the rate of all adults (11%)
59% of Americans believe some speech can be as damaging as physical violence
Americans are nearly evenly divided on whether free speech should yield to social harmony and “inclusion:” 43% disagree, 37% agree
Those who equate speech with violence are significantly more likely to support restrictions on expression – even if they personally oppose using force
"These findings reveal a troubling erosion of free speech principles, particularly among Americans who will shape our civic culture for decades to come," said Ryan Owens, director of the Institute for Governance and Civics. "When one in five young adults believes violence can be justified to silence speech, we're not just seeing a failure of civic education, we're witnessing a fundamental threat to self-governance. That's why our work at the IGC has never been more urgent."
The report arrives as debates over campus speech, political violence, and the boundaries of acceptable speech intensify nationwide. The IGC's research provides data-driven insight into how Americans consider fundamental questions about liberty, harm, and the limits of tolerance in an era of deep polarization.
"The generational gap is particularly concerning," added Zach Goldberg, co-author. "Young adults are not only more likely to see speech as equivalent to violence, but they're also more willing to use force to prevent it. This represents a significant departure from traditional American norms around free speech and political tolerance."
As the nation approaches the 250th anniversary of its founding, the survey offers a sobering assessment of Americans' commitment to First Amendment principles and the work required to sustain constitutional democracy for future generations.
Americans’ Troubling Views on Speech, Harm, and Violence is the latest in IGC's ongoing national research examining civic knowledge, constitutional literacy, and the health of civic discourse. The full report is available here.
Poll info: This study was conducted online between September 17–23, 2025 by Social Science Research Services (SSRS) using a Probability-Based Opinion Panel. The sample consisted of 1,447 respondents age 18 or older, including an oversample of 252 Florida residents. The margin of error for total respondents is +/-2.9% at the 95% confidence level.
