Well, if I ask your question, "Is it acceptable...?" I have to ask first and foremost, does it meet WP:NPOV.  To me it does not and therefore it is unacceptable.  There is absolutely no external source that I can address that says "The phrase waterboarding is a form of torture is acceptable per wikipedia's NPOV policy". Nor one that addres that says "The phrase waterboarding is _________________ is acceptable per wikipedia's NPOV policy".  There is no such source and the poll is certainly one of those sources that I am unable to use. HOWEVER, if instead, I read the policy and apply the evidence to the policy, the question comes up: "Is it disputed?".  The poll indicates that it is disputed.  That is how the information in the poll is used.  It is completely inadequate to determine if, in fact, waterboarding is torture, or if wikipedia should say one thing or the other. But it is NOT inadequate to determining if there is a dispute, which is a key means of checking for NPOV.