Survey Reveals College Students Conflicting Views on Free Speech, Social Media, and the State of the World

FARGO, N.D., Sept. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As college students across the country return to campus, a new survey conducted by the Challey Institute at North Dakota State University in partnership with College Pulse finds that many say they value free speech, opportunity, and progress, but often act in ways that contradict those ideals.

Students say free speech matters until someone says something offensive.

The 2025 American College Student Freedom, Progress, and Flourishing Survey surveyed more than 2,000 students from 472 four-year colleges and universities. Now in its fifth year, the report tracks how students view free speech, capitalism, national progress, protests, and social media.

Key findings:

• Students say free speech matters until someone says something offensive: Although 74% of students say free speech is more important than comfort, 71% would report a professor and 57% would report another student for making offensive comments.
  
  
• Students often overlook signs of real progress: Fewer than half believe the world has improved in the last 50 years, despite major gains in literacy, life expectancy, and poverty reduction. Students who see improvement often credit freedom and markets, while those who see decline tend to blame a lack of government involvement.
  
  
• Capitalism and socialism mean different things to different students: Only 27 percent have a favorable view of capitalism, but that increases when students define it as a free market system. Views on socialism also depend heavily on the definition, with redistribution seen more favorably than government control or central planning.
  
  
• Students want more benefits, but not more taxes: Seventy-eight percent favor free college and universal healthcare if funded by a wealth tax. That support falls to 38 percent when financed by taxes on most workers.
  
  
• Social media use is high and students say it's hurting them: Students report spending over three hours a day on social media, and nearly half say it has negatively affected their mental health. While one-third say social media approval is important to them, most report little to no experience with bullying.

The report also explores student views on the international conflict, campus protests, and government interference in academic freedom.  Read the full thing here: https://www.ndsu.edu/challeyinstitute/research/publications/american_college_student_freedom_progress_and_flourishing_survey

To speak with the author, contact Marc Morris.

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SOURCE Challey Institute at North Dakota State University