Measuring Americans' trust in government and technology

For the second time in two years, Federal Computer Week and the Pew Internet & American Life Project have conducted research on the federal government and the Internet.

The project funds research to explore the Internet's impact on American culture. The latest survey, conducted nearly two years after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, measured how much Americans trust the government to provide accurate and useful information in the event of another terrorist attack and how they want that information delivered.

The poll gathered Americans' opinions on technologies and communication systems, such as wireless phones, e-mail and public warning systems, that could alert them about a possible terrorist attack.

Princeton Survey Research Associates International conducted the poll by interviewing 1,001 adults who were at least 18 years old. The survey was conducted the week of Aug. 5 to 11, before the Blaster worm slowed millions of computers and before the electrical blackout shut down much of the Northeast.

Ivo Daalder, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and coauthor of "Protecting the American Homeland: A Preliminary Analysis," provided in-depth analysis of the poll results.

Your comments on the project are welcome. Please send them to poll@fcw.com.