Brief
Independent poll finds three‑quarters of Britons say free thinking is getting harder
The survey, commissioned for The Independent’s 40th anniversary, links rising polarisation and algorithmic pressure to a perceived decline in free thought.
By Felo News Desk · Published
The Independent’s 40th‑anniversary poll of 1,032 UK adults reveals that three‑quarters of respondents believe it is becoming harder to think freely today, according to the outlet’s own reporting on 13 October 2026.
What happened
The online questionnaire asked participants to rate their identification as free thinkers and to assess how media, social platforms and influencers affect their ability to form independent opinions. Eighty‑one percent said they consider themselves free thinkers to some degree. Of those, 42 percent strongly identify with the label, while only 4 percent reject it entirely. Thirteen percent said they strive to think independently but find it challenging.
What the reports add
The survey highlights that 75 percent of respondents feel free thinking is getting harder, citing social media, news outlets and influencers as the biggest impediments. Younger adults (aged 18‑45) were more likely to say thinking freely is easier, whereas those over 46 reported greater difficulty. Respondents also linked an increased sense of societal polarisation to the erosion of free thought.
What was said
Financier and activist Bill Browder told The Independent, “Forty years ago, the challenge for a free thinker was finding information. Today it’s filtering it.” He added that algorithms and disinformation now push people into camps before they finish thinking. Dr Edward Swidelsky, a philosophy professor at the University of Exeter, explained, “The phrase free thought originally meant not being bound by religious dogmas. Now it’s used more broadly to mean anyone who thinks in a way that isn’t constrained by presuppositions of whatever kind.”
How it came about
The poll was commissioned to mark The Independent’s 40‑year milestone and to accompany a list of 40 contemporary free thinkers released by the outlet. Figures such as Elon Musk, Nigel Farage and Jeremy Corbyn were named by respondents as emblematic of free speech, while author Kate Bornstein appeared on the publication’s curated list. Nearly three‑quarters of those surveyed said free thinkers have become more polarising over the past decade, and no single public figure emerged as the definitive symbol of free thought.
Key facts
- 81% of surveyed Britons consider themselves free thinkers to some degree (independent.co.uk)
- Three quarters say free thinking is getting harder due to social media and influencers (independent.co.uk)
- Younger adults (18‑45) are more likely to view free thinking as easier than older adults (independent.co.uk)
- Bill Browder said the challenge has shifted from finding information to filtering it (independent.co.uk)
- The poll involved 1,032 participants and was released for The Independent’s 40th anniversary (independent.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] independent.co.uk — originally reported as “Three in four Britons believe it is becoming harder to think freely today”
