Every day, most of us will read or watch something in the news that is based on statistics in some way. Sometimes it'll be obvious - 'X people develop cancer every year' - and sometimes less obvious - 'How smartphones destroyed a generation'. Statistics are an immensely powerful tool for understanding the world; the best tool we have. But in the wrong hands, they can be dangerous.
From cherry-picking numbers to simply mixing up percentages and percentage points, journalists are not usually renowned for their numeracy - preferring stylish prose to statistical knowhow. This is not to say they are the only ones at fault: academics, governments and the education system all have a part to play.
Following the publication of their new book, How To Read Numbers, David and Tom Chivers explore why the media is often so bad at statistics, and what, if anything, can be done about it.
The session was part of our RSS International Conference 2021. Learn more about the 2022 Conference below: rss.org.uk/conference2022/
