Poll: Four in ten Americans would give up civil liberties to fight terror

The survey, conducted by CNN in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombing, found that a plurality — 49 percent — said they would not be willing to do so, while 9 percent of respondents said their answer would depend on the exact circumstances.

But more Americans — 61 percent — say they are worried that the government will enact new counterterrorism policies that will restrict civil liberties, while just 31 percent say they are more concerned lawmakers would fail to put in place new safeguards.

Americans broadly support a number of measures that were either employed by law enforcement officials during the hunt for the Marathon bombers, or have been suggested by lawmakers since. Some 81 percent favor increasing the use of camera surveillance on streets and in public places, while 79 percent say cops should use facial recognition technology to scan for suspected terrorists at public events.