Didn't We Already Do This? Press Relies On Questionable Stats To Claim Instagram Lost Half Its Users
from the they-didn't dept
Ah, whatever happened to good, old fashioned, fact checking. It was just a few weeks ago that many people were writing about how the press had been confused by data claiming a massive drop in Instagram users following its terms of service kerfuffle. Of course, it later came out that the data from Appdata, was suspect, as it only looked at Instagram usage on Facebook, despite the fact that most Instagram usage is done directly through its app on mobile phones. So here we are a few weeks later... and a bunch of news sources, including Wired, are reporting that Instagram has lost half of its daily users. This is based on data from a different organization, AppStats, but appear to suffer from the exact same flaw: it only looks at app usage on Facebook, which is a minority of Instagram usage. There may or may not be trouble with Instagram usage, but shouldn't the press by now be at least a little skeptical of claims based on dodgy data?
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Filed Under: data, statistics, terms of service
Companies: appdata, facebook, instagram
Reader Comments
The First Word
“shouldn't the press by now be at least a little skeptical of claims based on dodgy data?
Why?The recording industry uses dodgy data to weep about piracy.
Politicians cite dodgy data to pass laws.
So called grass roots organizations use dodgy data to make false claims.
Telecoms use dodgy data to get spectrum and subsidies.
Cable companies use dodgy data to increase sub fees.
Everybody is doing it.
The truth, along with fact checking, left town a long time ago.
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This is logical and quite correct - for those people who think Facebook IS the internet and anything else is just to support Facebook and it's never ending egocentric quest to make everyone be relevant only to themselves.
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Re: "Anecdotal"
It's not about whether Instagram lost 50% of its users.
It's about news stories citing sources that used flawed methodology without checking it. Instagram is just the instant case.
E
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The MSM have been nothing but a Parrot for the Government, and corporations for so long, they have no idea how to fact check anymore.
Rahhhh. Polly want a headline?
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shouldn't the press by now be at least a little skeptical of claims based on dodgy data?
The recording industry uses dodgy data to weep about piracy.
Politicians cite dodgy data to pass laws.
So called grass roots organizations use dodgy data to make false claims.
Telecoms use dodgy data to get spectrum and subsidies.
Cable companies use dodgy data to increase sub fees.
Everybody is doing it.
The truth, along with fact checking, left town a long time ago.
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lol Wired
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