The perils of mock elections
Manuel L. Quezon III - Philippine Daily Inquirer
BOTH Belinda Oliveras-Cunanan and Bobit S. Avila are entranced by what Cunanan considers Gilbert Teodoro’s “surging” in a Facebook (FB) “survey” of presidential candidates, with Avila asserting that the FB results are superior to those of surveys done by Pulse Asia or Social Weather Stations. The only problem is that their excitement stems from a lack of comprehension of what is going on.
There is no FB survey. Avila in particular seems to believe it is FB itself that has taken it upon itself to start tracking opinion with regard to the candidates for the Philippine presidency. As an active FB user, I think this is a disservice to FB, to those who have created applications related to the 2010 campaign, to the candidates, and to the broader public.
What Cunanan and Avila referred to in their columns, and what was reported in various news stories, is an application, and if you go to the Election2010 page on FB, it very clearly says, “this application was not developed by Facebook.”
"I am determined to continue the fight started by my father and my mother to see
that democracy takes root and is strengthened in our country. This cannot happen
in a government that serves the interest of the powerful few. We must strengthen
the institutions of government so that they truly serve the interests of our people."
Awie
3 Dec, 2009
Am really laughing about this article about Cunanan and Avila
I wonder what kind of brain has these 2 journalists?
basilio jamisola
3 Dec, 2009
Bulls eye! I suspect that Cunanan & Avila IQ are really below average. They just hire someone to write for them..see how they analyze things!
Engr. Jojo
3 Dec, 2009
@Awie, @Basilio, These two are ENVELOPMENTAL JOURNALIST. Bulging Envelopes.
basilio jamisola
3 Dec, 2009
Envelopmental Journalist? That’s new to me but I think I should believe in you.
gian
3 Dec, 2009
I actually voted a few times on the Facebook Election 2010 application but noticed since round 3 that Sen. Noy’s numbers have not been going up. Gibo Teodoro’s though had a big surge in just a couple of days. I posted it on the official FB page of Noynoy and there were quite a few who made the same observations. My fear lang is that the likes of Cunanan and Avila will use these online polls (which they have already done) to promote their preferred candidates even if the approach is not very scientific. Tipong gusto lang mag-create ng mindset na dumadami na ang supporters ng isang kandidato.
gian
3 Dec, 2009
By the way, did you catch Harapan at ANC last night. Sen. Noynoy did very well. Makes me even more proud to be a supporter.
Engr. Jojo
3 Dec, 2009
@Basilio, that is the terminology given to journalists who receive money in a bulging envelop to peddle lies to destroy one candidate’s reputation. You see, during election time no one is ever sued for slander or libel.
Basilio Jamisola
3 Dec, 2009
Thanks Engr. Jojo. I figured it’s the meaning. Tnen you confirmed it. Kudos!
Awie
3 Dec, 2009
Hi Gian, same here I do vote in some online poll mock but I don’t consider it as a professional poll survey like Pulse Asia and SWS.
Regina
3 Dec, 2009
As a math major studying the field of statistics, I don’t find the mock polls in the net accurate because the voters do not represent the entire population in which the sample (i.e. online voters) is drawn from (the entire Philippine voting population). It only represents the economic classes A-C, since they are the class who have easy internet access. And the results can either be very skewed, or very erratic.
lenlen
3 Dec, 2009
You say it right Regina.
Lyndon Buque
3 Dec, 2009
Is it ignorance, on what a survey is, on the part of Cunanan and Avila, or they just found a tool, no matter how misleading, to create a mindset that their preferred candidate catching up and would eventually be leading the polls?
A survey, like that of the Pulse Asia & SWS, and even those from less credible research institutions, covers a SAMPLE SIZE, which represents the total voting population which even include demographic classification. As such, there are results in terms or location or area, economic class groupings, gender,etc.
On the other hand, the one with FB is not a survey, its simply a mock election with limited participation from those with FB account. In other words, its not scientific, and the total voting population is not represented.
Ako Mismo walang facebook.
What kind of opinion writers are they? Parang nagamit or nagpagamit?