Comments by "Mat Broomfield" (@matbroomfield) on "Maps reveal hidden truths of the world's cities - BBC News" video.

  1. There are lies, damned lies and statistics. The assumptions baked into your creations, the scale of your representations, the time scale and other factors can all be used to distort the picture. Without detailed interpretation and normalisation of these images, they're just pretty curiosities.
    10
  2. I gave examples of the ways they MIGHT be lies.
    1
  3. Yes, it's something we all have to be aware of. That's why I generally prefer information that has passed a scientific consensus. Interpretation of statistics is a lot more difficult. It requires accurate filtering and normalisation, and a detailed understanding of the subject matter.
    1
  4. I don't deny man-made climate change in the slightest. However, data can be manipulated to make it tell a story, and without detailed background on data, I stand by what I said. The organisation producing it (Instituto Igarapé) is political, agenda driven, and unaccountable. I was simply urging a bit of scientific method in accepting this data. I would want to see their source of data, understand how it has been filtered, etc. For instance his claim that the first map shows "every single refugee since the 1990s" That claim is patently preposterous. Without quibbling about the exact definition of a refugee (no small definition in itself), how can they possibly KNOW about every single refugee when so many try to enter countries under the radar. I think a strong dose of scepticism is always healthy.
    1