, Columnist
Do You Trust Big Data? Try Googling the Holocaust
News and search algorithms are leading us into the realm of "alternative facts."
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The advent of big data was supposed to usher in a more precise and rational world. Instead, it might be leading us into the swamp of "alternative facts."
Data may not lie, but they can be interpreted in ways that have the same effect. Consider President Donald Trump's persistent claim that millions voted fraudulently in the 2016 election. In a twisted way, it might be based on data: In 2012, a study found that some 2.75 million people were registered to vote in two states or more. Although there’s zero evidence that any of them actually voted twice, that doesn't matter to Trump or his supporters.