Being a PhD and researcerh, dont you see surveys as a vital way of collecting data? So why would you intentionally throw off the data many researchers use to reach conclusions?

People wonder why statistics can be so messed up. Some of it is lying with math. But statisticians can't also help when people are being malicious.

A vital way to collect bad data, as evidenced here. Why would you trust what people say anyway?

I'd love to hear the alternative then? How would you gather data on how people feel about policy without a survey (aka just asking them), as an example?