This episode of the BBC More or Less podcast delves into the misinterpretation of a statistic suggesting that 79% of refugees in Sweden have taken vacations in their home countries. It traces this claim back to a Novus poll conducted among foreign-born individuals in Sweden, clarifying that the 79% figure pertains specifically to a group of asylum seekers who arrived decades ago, not those who came recently. The podcast emphasizes how easily data can be misinterpreted, especially on social media, where this statistic was leveraged to bolster anti-immigrant sentiments. While the original reporting was factually correct, its ambiguity led to significant misunderstandings. Ultimately, the podcast warns against making conclusions solely based on data without understanding the context and limitations behind it.
