Information on when we delete personal data, the countries where we save data (e.g., US, EU, Singapore), and the companies we collaborate with can be found in our privacy statement.
Our customers work more efficiently and benefit from:
This statistic shows the results of a survey conducted among adult Americans in 2016 on acceptable and unacceptable behavior. During the survey, 35 percent of respondents said using cell phones in restaurants is acceptable behavior, while 50 percent deemed it unacceptable and 15 percent said it is neither.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Do you think the following behavior is generally acceptable, unacceptable or neither?
Characteristic
Acceptable
Unacceptable
Neither acceptable nor unacceptable
Using cell phones in restaurants
35%
50%
15%
Discussing sex in public
30%
57%
13%
Using swear words online, including social media
25%
62%
12%
Using the F-word in conversation
25%
63%
12%
Using swear words in public
23%
66%
10%
Making jokes or comments about race in private
22%
65%
14%
Making jokes or comments about a person's gender or sexuality in private
20%
64%
16%
Making jokes or comments about race in public
10%
83%
6%
Making jokes or comments about a person's gender or sexuality in public
10%
84%
6%
Created with Highcharts 7.2.2Share of respondents15%15%13%13%12%12%12%12%10%10%14%14%16%16%6%6%6%6%50%50%57%57%62%62%63%63%66%66%65%65%64%64%83%83%84%84%35%35%30%30%25%25%25%25%23%23%22%22%20%20%10%10%10%10%AcceptableUnacceptableNeither acceptable nor unacceptableUsing cell phones in restaurantsDiscussing sex in publicUsing swear words online, including social mediaUsing the F-word in conversationUsing swear words in publicMaking jokes or comments about race in privateMaking jokes or comments about a person's gender or sexuality inprivateMaking jokes or comments about race in publicMaking jokes or comments about a person's gender or sexuality inpublic
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%
Add this content to your personal favorites. These can be accessed from the favorites menu in the main navigation.
You have no right to use this feature.
Make sure to contact us if you are interested in scientific citation.
You can upgrade your account to enable this functionality for all statistics.
This feature is not available with your current account.Request access
Learn more about how Statista can support your business.
AP-NORC. (April 1, 2016). Do you think the following behavior is generally acceptable, unacceptable or neither? [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved November 14, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/539660/acceptable-and-unacceptable-behavior/
AP-NORC. "Do you think the following behavior is generally acceptable, unacceptable or neither?." Chart. April 1, 2016. Statista. Accessed November 14, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/539660/acceptable-and-unacceptable-behavior/
AP-NORC. (2016). Do you think the following behavior is generally acceptable, unacceptable or neither?. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: November 14, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/539660/acceptable-and-unacceptable-behavior/
AP-NORC. "Do You Think The following Behavior Is Generally Acceptable, Unacceptable or Neither?." Statista, Statista Inc., 1 Apr 2016, https://www.statista.com/statistics/539660/acceptable-and-unacceptable-behavior/
AP-NORC, Do you think the following behavior is generally acceptable, unacceptable or neither? Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/539660/acceptable-and-unacceptable-behavior/ (last visited November 14, 2025)
Do you think the following behavior is generally acceptable, unacceptable or neither? [Graph], AP-NORC, April 1, 2016. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/539660/acceptable-and-unacceptable-behavior/
Advertisement
Profit from additional features with an Employee Account
Please create an employee account to be able to mark statistics as favorites.
Then you can access your favorite statistics via the star in the header.
Profit from the additional features of your individual account
Currently, you are using a shared account. To use individual functions (e.g., mark statistics as favourites, set
statistic alerts) please log in with your personal account.
If you are an admin, please authenticate by logging in again.