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EconTalk · March 4, 2024 · 60m

How to Avoid Lying With Statistics

Jeremy Weber on statistical literacy and how statistics are used to mislead. The problem isn't lying — it's selective presentation of true facts that create false impressions. A guide to reading data honestly.

This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.

Canon

Weber: you don't need to fabricate data to mislead — just selectively present true data. This is more dangerous than outright lying because it's harder to detect and easier to defend.
Weber: statistical sobriety means knowing the limits of what data can demonstrate. Correlation isn't causation, observational studies can't prove interventions, and significance tests don't measure importance.
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