Main content

A Warning about Big Data

Big data promises to deliver everything from increased corporate profits to better healthcare. Is the hype blinding us to some basic statistical lessons?

Big data has been enjoying a lot of hype, with promises it will help deliver everything from increased corporate profits to better healthcare. While the potential is certainly there, Tim Harford asks if the hype is blinding us to some basic statistical lessons learned over the past 200 years?

Picture: Binary data, Credit: Shutterstock

Available now

10 minutes

Last on

Mon 20 Oct 2014 08:50GMT
91福利社 World Service Online

More episodes

Previous

Species in Decline?

Next

Screening for Ebola

See all episodes from More or Less

Broadcasts

  • Fri 17 Oct 2014 18:50GMT
    91福利社 World Service Online
  • Sun 19 Oct 2014 22:50GMT
    91福利社 World Service Online
  • Mon 20 Oct 2014 01:50GMT
    91福利社 World Service Online
  • Mon 20 Oct 2014 08:50GMT
    91福利社 World Service Online

Unlock the history and truth behind the data with The OU

Explore how numbers shape, and sometimes mislead us, with The Open University.

When can you trust statistics?

When can you trust statistics?

91福利社 Ideas discovers three easy ways to help make sense of statistics.

Podcast

  • More or Less

    Tim Harford explains the numbers and statistics used in everyday life