A fearsome internet study has been debunked, after enabling its sponsors to win money and mindshare. The 2010 document claimed that underage prostitution was booming, enabled by digital media:
"An independent tracking study released today by the Women's Funding Network shows that over the past six months, the number of underage girls trafficked online has risen exponentially in three diverse states," [Deborah Richardson, chief program officer] claimed. "Michigan: a 39.2 percent increase; New York: a 20.7 percent increase; and Minnesota: a staggering 64.7 percent increase."
The Village Voice looked into the study, commissioning a series of experts to examine it. Unanimous conclusion: the methods were unsound, illogical. Voice reporters then asked the study leaders, whose responses did not turn out to be reassuring.
Why does this matter? Because governmental and nonstate actors can use such pseudo-research, or be used by it. As Pinto notes,
It's now clear they used fake data to deceive the media and lie to Congress. And it was all done to score free publicity and a wealth of public funding.
(via Reason)
Shameless and disgusting. But fear has always been profitable.
Posted by: Ed Webb | March 30, 2011 at 22:34