Data Wars: Controversy Escalates
The debate over integrity of economic data is escalating - first over 108 economists and social scientists issued an official statement citing multiple instances of interference and even tampering with official data. The concerns they raised were questions over GDP numbers after the modifications to the data and how an official jobs report - which showed unemployment at a 45-year-high - was stalled, leading to the resignation of two members of the Statistical Commission. This letter was rebutted not by economists, but chartered accountants, 131 of them, who said the economists are making "politically motivated baseless allegations". The CAs in fact go on say even facts reported by the Armed Forces are being questioned against national interest. Tonight on Reality Check we discuss the data tampering debate.
