IE Oops
I recently wrote an item about research indicating that IE users were less intelligent than Chrome or Firefox users. One theory was that IE users don't have to do anything -- the browser comes on their computers, while other browser users actually have to seek out their browser of choice (something that takes brainpower).
That theory may be true, but the research to support it was one big lie -- one I fell for.
I wasn't the only dummy. Forbes, CNN and the BBC also swallowed the bait.
The story seemed very odd at first, but the methodology made sense. There was supposedly a Web company that offered free IQ tests and simply compared the results to the browsers they came from.
The company, or fake company, behind the study had a deep and rich Web site, with the content lifted from a French company and repurposed. If you went to check the company out, just hit the Web site (which seemed legit) Aptiquant.
Now the Web site for this farce of a company named Aptiquant is laughing at all of us who fell for it.
Should I be angry? Not at all. This is an abject lesson in how not to be a journalist. Information should be vetted as much as possible. I, lemming like, went with the crowd and ran with it.
Let me have it or make me feel better about myself by writing [email protected].
Posted by Doug Barney on 08/05/2011 at 1:18 PM