Andre Yoskowitz
3 Aug 2011 13:45
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.