Public polls versus professional surveys have become increasingly popular tools to gauge an opinion or attitude on any given topic. This can range from deciding the outcome of an election or sporting event to helping companies decide which product to bring to market.
True Representation of the People?
On the positive side, public polls are typically open to anyone who would like to share their opinion. This means that the opinions gathered should be more true to what the general public is actually thinking rather than being based off of predetermined criteria. This level of freedom allows for a higher degree of feedback and more honest responses, instead of people feeling the need to conform to what the company wants the results to be.
Risk of Manipulation
However, public polls also carry the risk of manipulation due to the lack of checks and balances. If pollsters fail to properly vet the validity of participants or properly secure their polling framework, it leaves the door open for malicious actors to manipulate the results and present an inaccurate representation of public sentiment. This could have serious implications in the form of skewed decision making that fails to take into account the true opinion of the masses.
Cost-Effective Alternatives
Public polls are a great option for those looking to keep their research budget low. Unlike professional surveys, which can often be expensive, public polls are relatively inexpensive and can provide large amounts of data for analysis relatively quickly. This makes them attractive options for those with limited funds who need to get a job done in a timely manner.
Lack of Statistical Rigor
Although public polls can be cost-effective, they tend to lack the statistical rigor of a professionally conducted survey. Sampling techniques are often not used, meaning that the results may be weighted toward certain groups or be subject to other biases. Quality assurance is also often lacking, so responses may be incorrect or even fraudulent.
No Verification of Responses
Another downside of public polls is the lack of verification of responses. Without being able to personally verify each participant’s identity, or require them to prove their qualifications as experts in certain fields, it becomes impossible to know if they are providing honest answers or simply manipulating the results to reach a desired outcome.
Political Applications
Finally, public polls can also be used for political purposes. Political ads and campaigns rely heavily on public opinion polls to make decisions about how best to target their efforts. However, due to their lack of accuracy and potential for manipulation, this reliance on public polls could lead to misinformed decision-making and false conclusions.
Public polls have become increasingly popular tools to gauge opinion and sentiment on a variety of topics. While they offer several advantages in terms of cost and convenience, they also come with several drawbacks such as the potential for manipulation and lack of statistical rigor. As such, they should be used judiciously and only when a professional survey cannot be affordably obtained.