Opinion poll
| Opinion poll link | |
|---|---|
| File:89 per cent oppose mandatory COVID vacination GMB.png An opinion poll from December 2021 which suddenly disappeared without explanation, following a program about mandating jabs for COVID-19. | |
| A useful survey method but most often used for propaganda purposes |
An opinion poll, often simply referred to as a poll or a survey, is a human research survey of public opinion from a particular sample. While in principle a useful survey method, it is most often used for propaganda purposes.
Use in deep politics
The business of deep politics often involves psychological operations such as false flags and mendacious claims of plausible deniability. Opinion polls are useful to help plan such complex events, especially long term campaigns such as the strategy of tension.
The Right Questions
Fake polls
When used sparingly, fake poll results may be used to try to give a false perception of public opinion. This is risky, since any evidence of poll fakery is liable to cause blowback.
Influence tool
The UK journalist Peter Hitchens observed that "Opinion polls are a device for influencing public opinion, not a device for measuring it. Crack that, and it all makes sense." The overall purpose is to "bring about the thing it claims is already happening". [1]
Casting doubt on genuine poll results
In countries targeted for regime change, US intelligence routinely manufactures fake polls intended to cast doubt on official election results, creating a pretext for protests that are organized and leveraged by US-sponsored opposition groups.[2]