Re:Poll: How old are you?
by ErrantX on Sunday March 15, 2009 @06:56PM
(#517364)
For the record I agree that the chances of the data exactly replicating the reality is minimal.
If nothign else because the youngsters here are more likely to respond (and also respond correctly) even though it is anonymous :)
But even allowing for that I would reckon we can use the data to extrpolate a few guesses. For example the high number of under 20's votes (I imagine these beign the most accurate numbers because of the deomgraphic too).
Plus of course this place is probably more likely to generate valid responses because of the general demographic. I would expect the data to be more accurate than a similar poll on, say, welovebritneyspears.com :)
So, yes (and to abuse a much overused maxim :D), voluntary poll data is untrustworthy. But some are more untrustworthy than others ;)
If nothign else because the youngsters here are more likely to respond (and also respond correctly) even though it is anonymous :)
But even allowing for that I would reckon we can use the data to extrpolate a few guesses. For example the high number of under 20's votes (I imagine these beign the most accurate numbers because of the deomgraphic too).
Plus of course this place is probably more likely to generate valid responses because of the general demographic. I would expect the data to be more accurate than a similar poll on, say, welovebritneyspears.com :)
So, yes (and to abuse a much overused maxim :D), voluntary poll data is untrustworthy. But some are more untrustworthy than others ;)