Why online polls are a waste of time.

Oh dear. Another online poll: "Do you think we should be fracking in New York?"


Invariably, these polls are * being conducted by some corporate media outlet, and * the pro-frackers are invariably winning.  (Hmmm... see a pattern?)

YET, OUR EYES tell us something different about the demographics of NY!
(see below)

Online polls are a complete waste of time 
for the following reasons.

1. They are not statistically or scientifically useful (e.g. not a random sample and other problems)
2. They are easy to cheat and ballot stuff (delete cookies, vote again!)
3. If they come from the corporate media which survives on advertising, YOU MUST CONSIDER that it is NOT a poll, but propaganda.
   
   Meaning, while it LOOKS like a poll, the real intent is to CONVINCE YOU that fracking supporters outnumber opposition, which is CLEARLY FALSE in New York.
   
   It is utterly trivial for the computer programmer who wrote the "poll" to tally 1.3 pro-fracking votes for every 1 anti-fracking vote.
   
   If you think this is an outlandish conspiracy theory, then google PUSH POLL. This technique IS BEING USED TODAY by Public Relations propagandists.

WE ARE AT WAR, but the munitions being used is INFORMATION. Be suspicious.

THE FACT-BASED EVIDENCEthat the anti-fracking is a super-majority and showing exponential growth:

• Exponential growth of town bans and moratoria
  http://williamahuston.blogspot.com/2013/03/growth-of-anti-fracking-movement-in-ny.html
  
• Exponential growth of participation of participation in regulatory proceedings:
  http://williamahuston.blogspot.com/2013/05/susan-arbetter-please-call-out-steve.html
  
  
•  The anti-frackers have had SIX rallies in Albany with 2,000+ people.
  
  1: Fracking Day of Action April 2011
  2: Albany Day of Action, Jan 2012
  3: Pledge to Resist Fracking, Aug 2012
  4: State of the State Jan 2013
  5: Crossroads Rally June 2013
  6: State of the State Jan 2014
  
  The pro frackers had one rally in Oct 2012, reported as "more than 600" and "several hundred"
  • http://www.legislativegazette.com/Articles-Main-Stories-c-2012-10-22-82167.113122-Hundreds-march-on-Capitol-to-push-for-hydrofracking-now.html#123
  • http://polhudson.lohudblogs.com/2012/10/15/pro-hydrofracking-rally-attracts-several-hundred/

BOTTOM LINE:

Spend 5 min on answering an online poll if it makes you happy. Just don't get too involved in the results. It is scientifically meaningless and it is likely rigged in favor of the frackers. 

Use your eyes! We are clearly in a majority!