Intelligence Quotient (IQ) and Browser Usage
"Intelligence Quotient (IQ) and Browser Usage" was a hoax study allegedly released by a Canadian company called AptiQuant Psychometric Consulting Co. on July 26, 2011, that claimed to have correlated the IQs of 100,000 internet users with which web browsers they used.[1][2] Its claims that users of Microsoft's Internet Explorer had lower IQs than users of other browsers was widely covered in the media, and its revelation as a hoax was widely cited as an example of the weaknesses of the media.[3] The speed with which the story was reported was also alleged by some to be indicative of anti-Microsoft bias.[4]
The hoax was arranged by Tarandeep Gill, a web developer from Vancouver, British Columbia.[5] He claimed it was to raise awareness of the outdated nature of earlier versions of Internet Explorer that still have significant market share.[6][7]
It came amid a wave of other negative coverage of earlier versions of Internet Explorer.[8]
The reported results[]
Browser | Average IQ, 2006 | Average IQ, 2011 |
---|---|---|
Internet Explorer 6 | 103 | 83 |
Internet Explorer 7 | 108 | 88 |
Internet Explorer 8 | - | 92 |
Internet Explorer 9 | - | 90 |
Firefox | 104 | 108 |
Chrome | - | 112 |
Safari | 113 | 114 |
Internet Explorer with Google Chrome Frame | - | 123 |
Camino | - | 125 |
Opera | 101 | 128 |
The study was presented as measuring how IQ affects choices to adopt new technologies.[9]
Conception[]
Gill says he got the idea for the hoax about a month prior to its release[5] when working on his website. "IE6 compatibility was being a pain in the ass," he told ReadWriteWeb.[10]
Release[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/Googletrends_IE_IQ_hoax.png)
The report was covered by many news outlets. Initially the discrepancy was explained by that the advanced computer users with high IQs were savvy enough to choose other browsers.[11]
When the report was first covered by the BBC some readers were skeptical of its authenticity and quickly noted that the domain for the company had only been set up a month prior and that pictures of the company's staff were from the French company . Central Test began investigating the issue and said it was considering legal action against whomever had used the photos.[12] It was initially suspected that the whole thing was a plot to spread malware; however, the PDF was examined and none was found.[13] As the hoax was uncovered additional problems with the report were raised, the results were noted as improbable and the task of collecting 100,000 users very difficult.[14] The address given on the website was looked up using Google Street View and it turned out to be just a parking lot.[15]
While the story was being covered Gill posed as Leonard Howard, the fabricated owner of AptiQuant, to the media.[16] He also wrote a blog on the AptiQuant website about how they were being sued by Internet Explorer users[17][18] and that it had been receiving hate mail.[19]
Internet Explorer users acted defensively.[20]
Some news outlets criticized the methodology of the study, although without realizing it was a hoax.[21] It was even described as "Junk science at its worst".[22] Some defended the study; for example, The Register wrote, "The methodology of the study appears sound."[23]
Aftermath[]
The hoax coverage was said by some to be a victory for citizen journalism, as it was readers who first uncovered that it was a hoax.[24] Wired wrote that "Too often, business analysts and statistics and insider rumors carry a similar currency in journalism. They often add just a thin sheen of detail and a slightly stronger claim to verification. Really, guys, it’s just a color PDF."[25]
List of news sources fooled by hoax[]
- Dino Grandoni, The Atlantic Wire (July 29).[26]
- Business Standard (August 2).[27]
- Ysolt Usigan, CBS News (August 1).[28]
- Chris Matyszczyk, CNET (July 29).[29]
- Doug Gross, CNN (July 29).[30]
- Mark Huffman, ConsumerAffairs.com (August 1).[31]
- CTV Television Network (July 30).[32]
- Tim Worstall, Forbes (July 29).[33]
- Adrian Chen, Gawker (August 1).[34]
- Jason O. Gilbert, The Huffington Post (August 1).[35]
- The Independent (July 30).[36]
- Indian Express (July 31).[37]
- Robert X. Cringely, InfoWorld (August 1).[38]
- Lawrence Latif, The Inquirer (July 29).[39]
- International Business Times (July 29).[40]
- Kevin Fogarty, IT World (August 1).[41]
- KGO-TV (July 29).[42]
- Caroline Crouch. KNXV-TV (August 2).[43]
- Mashable (July 29).[44]
- Muy Interesante (August 2).[45]
- Dan Amira, New York Magazine (July 29).[46]
- Kevin Spak, Newser (July 29).[47]
- Eyder Peralta. NPR (August 2).[9]
- David Murphy, PC Magazine (July 30).[48]
- Rik Myslewski, The Register (July 29).[23]
- Matt Rosoff, San Francisco Chronicle (July 28).[49]
- Nick Eaton, Seattle Post-Intelligencer (July 29).[50]
- Jonathan Walczak, Seattle Weekly (July 29).[51]
- The Daily Telegraph (August 1).[52]
- Times of India (July 30).[53]
- Douglas Perry, Tom's Hardware (August 2).[54]
- Sarah Deen, Metro (August 1).[55]
References[]
- ^ Rachel Metea. "Hey Babe, What's Your Browser?". The DePaulia.
- ^ Janet I. Tu. "Study claiming Internet Explorer users have lower IQs? Bogus." The Seattle Times, March 8, 2011.
- ^ Craig Silverman. "Newsmangled: Fake study of web surfers intelligence proves media not so smart". Toronto Star, May 8, 2011.
- ^ Bishop, Todd (April 8, 2011). "This is the guy who convinced everyone that IE users are dumb". Geekwire.com.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Paul Sawers. "The ‘Internet Explorer IQ’ hoaxer talks to The Next Web". The Next Web, March 8, 2011.
- ^ "Why a web developer orchestrated the "IE users are dumb" study hoax". The Independent, April 8, 2011.
- ^ Jonathan Walczak. "Anatomy of a Hoax: Study Showing Internet Explorer Users Have Low IQs Was Fake". Archived September 13, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Seattle Weekly, May 8, 2011.
- ^ Jabulani Leffall. "Microsoft: Security is a Two-Way Street". , January 8, 2011.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Eyder Peralta. "Study Suggests Internet Explorer Users Are, Um, Kind Of Slow". NPR, February 8, 2011.
- ^ John Paul Titlow. "Disgruntled Canadian Developer Behind Internet Explorer IQ "Study" Hoax". Archived September 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine ReadWriteWeb, March 8, 2011.
- ^ "Internet Explorer users 'have below-average IQ'". The Telegraph, January 8, 2011.
- ^ Doug Gross. "Internet Explorer IQ report was a hoax". Archived August 24, 2011, at the Wayback Machine CNN, March 8, 2011.
- ^ "Internet Explorer story was bogus". BBC, March 8, 2011.
- ^ Zack Whittaker. "Internet Explorer IQ Story Called a Hoax". PCWorld, March 8, 2011.
- ^ Tom Brewster. "IT Pro believes that a report claiming Internet Explorer users had lower IQs was in fact a big hoax". IT Pro, March 8, 2011.
- ^ Lahmeik Stacey. "Web browser, IQ study discovered to be hoax". Digital Journal, July 31, 2011.
- ^ "IE users are dumb - study". iAfrica, February 8, 2011.
- ^ "IE users sue company over browser IQ test". KGO-TV, February 8, 2011.
- ^ "Internet Explorer 6 users criticized in study". London Free Press, January 8, 2011.
- ^ Robert X. Cringely. "Microsoft and IE: This time it's personal". InfoWorld', March 8, 2011.
- ^ Machlis Musings. "What the 'IE users are dumb' hoax really shows us". Archived September 24, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Computer World, March 8, 2011.
- ^ Steve Evans. "Internet Explorer 'low IQ' findings a hoax?". , August 3, 2011.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Rik Myslewski. "It's official: IE users are dumb as a bag of hammers". The Register, July 29, 2010.
- ^ Johnathan Hartwood. "Canadian ‘psychometric testing’ company AptiQuant turns out to be bogus, after readers smell a rat". The First Post, March 8, 2011.
- ^ Tim Carmody. "'Internet Explorer Users Have Lower IQs' Study Is a Hoax: Here Are Some of the Red Flags". WIRED, March 8, 2011.
- ^ Dino Grandoni. "Chart: What Your Web Browser Says About Your IQ". The Atlantic Wire, July 29, 2011.
- ^ Using an old browser may indicate low IQ: Study "Using an old browser may indicate low IQ: Study". Business Standard, February 8, 2011.
- ^ Ysolt Usigan. "Internet Explorer users "are kind of stupid," says study". CBS News, January 8, 2011.
- ^ Chris Matyszczyk. "Just how stupid are IE users?". CNET, July 29, 2011.
- ^ Doug Gross. "Are Internet Explorer users dumb?". CNN, July 29, 2011.
- ^ Mark Huffman. "Survey: Internet Explorer Users Less Intelligent". ConsumerAffairs.com, 8/1/2011/
- ^ "D'oh! Are Internet Explorer users dumb?". CTV Television Network, July 30, 2011.
- ^ Tim Worstall. "Internet Explorer Users Are Stupid". Forbes, July 29, 2011.
- ^ Adrian Chen. "Internet Explorer Users Are Objectively Stupid". Archived October 26, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Gawker, January 8, 2011.
- ^ "Internet Explorer Users Have Lower IQs Than Users Of Other Browsers, Survey Finds". The Huffington Post, January 8, 2011.
- ^ "Internet Explorer users have lower IQs: study". The Independent, July 30, 2011.
- ^ "Internet Explorer users are dumb: study". Indian Express, July 31, 2011.
- ^ Robert X. Cringely. "Just how stupid are Internet Explorer users?". InfoWorld, January 8, 2011.
- ^ Lawrence Latif. "Microsoft Internet Explorer users are thick headed". The Inquirer, July 29, 2011.
- ^ "Internet Explorer Users Not as Smart, Survey Says". International Business Times, July 29, 2011
- ^ Kevin Fogarty. "Did that study show IE users are stupid? Or that the pollsters who did it are fools?". IT World, January 8, 2011
- ^ "IE users not the brightest, says survey". KGO-TV, July 29, 2011.
- ^ "New study says the web browser you choose to use could say a lot about your IQ". Archived March 22, 2012, at the Wayback Machine KNXV-TV, February 8, 2011.
- ^ Stan Schroeder. "IE Users Have Lower IQ Than Users of Other Web Browsers [STUDY]". Mashable, July 29, 2011.
- ^ Elena Sanz (August 2, 2011). "Dime qué navegador usas y te diré cómo de inteligente eres". MuyInteresante.es (in Spanish). Retrieved November 26, 2013.
- ^ Dan Amira. "If You’re Reading This On Internet Explorer, You’re Probably Dumb". New York Magazine, July 29, 2011.
- ^ Kevin Spak. "Study: IE Users Have Lower IQs". Newser, July 29, 2011.
- ^ Murphy, David (July 30, 2011). "Study: Dumb People Use Internet Explorer | News & Opinion". PCMag.com. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
- ^ "STUDY: Internet Explorer Users Are Dumber (MSFT, GOOG)". San Francisco Chronicle July 28, 2011.
- ^ "". Seattle Post-Intelligencer, July 29, 2011.
- ^ Jonathan Walczak. "Use Internet Explorer? You're Probably Dumb, Study Says". Archived October 4, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Seattle Weekly, July 29, 2011.
- ^ "Internet Explorer users 'have below-average IQ'". The Daily Telegraph, January 8, 2011.
- ^ "IE users are dumb: Study". Times of India, July 30, 2011.
- ^ Douglas Perry. "A New Study Suggests Internet Explorer is for Dummies". Tom's Hardware, February 8, 2011.
- ^ Sarah Deen. "Google Chrome, Opera, Firefox users ‘smarter’ than Internet Explorer users". Metro_(British_newspaper), January 8, 2011.
External links[]
- Internet hoaxes
- 2011 hoaxes
- Internet Explorer
- Intelligence