Beware the False News

Daily we see yet another poll revealing new trends in consumption, meaningful shifts in behaviour…you know exactly what I mean.  Here’s an example from today’s newspaper:  “Fifty-three per cent said the state of the economy was very important to them, up from 50 per cent from 2008. And 53 per cent also said that ethics in politics was a priority, up by two percentage points.”  The real news here is that there is no news! Why is that? The writer and possibly the rep for the company that did the poll forgot the margin of error factor.  Based on this poll’s sample of 1,500 Canadians the margin of error is plus or minus 3 per cent.  So factor this statistical reality in dear reader and there is no difference at all!