Too often, statistics are used to ‘prove’ some point or to persuade an audience to some particular point of view, without really being accurate, complete, or honest. This issue has been the subject of numerous texts. You may be interested in reading such titles as: Damned Lies and Statistics, or How to Lie with Statistics. To fulfill this discussion board activity, complete the following:

Research one example where data analysis might have been misused or misapplied. Read about the example thoroughly so that you understand how analytics was used, and why it was problematic.

Share your chosen example with the class, documenting your source. Be sure to summarize the scenario thoroughly for the class.

Explain why use of analytics contributed to the problem.

Discuss the consequences of the matter. Did the company/organization involved suffer any adverse consequences? If so, were the related to public opinion/trust, were they financial, were they punitive, etc.?