AfterDawn: News

UPDATE: IE users may not be so dumb, survey revealed as elaborate hoax

Last week we reported on a survey by consulting company AptiQuant, which claimed that Internet Explorer users scored lower than other browser users on a standard IQ test.

Following deeper research into the company by the BBC, it appears that the whole survey was a very elaborate hoax.



AptiQuant claimed to have begun in 2006, but their website was actually started on July 14th, 2011.

Furthermore, all of the staff's bios were stolen from an established French company.

The company has not responded to any attempts of contact, and their Twitter page has been suspended.

In the original report, the fake company had claimed:

The group tested 100,000 participants while monitoring what browser they used.

A "population average" for IQ tests is 100, but Internet Explorer users scored below average. IE 6 users scored the worst of all, at just over 80. IE6 was released in 2001.

Users of Opera, Camino and Explorer with Chrome Frame scored the highest, with over 110. Opera users scored over 120.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 3 Aug 2011 13:45

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• 5 comments

• hikaricor

  The survey may have been a lie, but they were right about IE users regardless.

  3.8.2011 16:52 #1

• KillerBug

  Yeah...using IE when you don't have to simply isn't a smart thing to do...and the best "excuse" I have heard so far was, "I am too lazy to bother installing Firefox" Yeah...that could take 2-3 minutes including the download!
  

  
  

  4.8.2011 00:54 #2

• patrick_

  And all news sites just copied the information without verifying the source? Well done!
  

  4.8.2011 05:13 #3

• Zoo_Look

  Well at least the news organisations didn't tap into computer users networks illegally to get those figures... This time at least.
  

  5.8.2011 09:56 #4

• drhanaba

  Originally posted by KillerBug: Yeah...using IE when you don't have to simply isn't a smart thing to do...and the best "excuse" I have heard so far was, "I am too lazy to bother installing Firefox" Yeah...that could take 2-3 minutes including the download! Not toooooo lazy... Just don't want firefox or their other dirivities!!!
  

  5.8.2011 16:58 #5