Part 3/12:
In response to the lack of transparency, journalists filed a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, which eventually yielded the requested data. Surprisingly, the research's findings did not corroborate Grant’s narrative. The report, which consisted solely of a survey asking children and their parents about their perceptions, contained no mention of algorithms or rabbit holes as factors causing harm.
The authors of the study issued a caveat, acknowledging the limitations of their methodology: relying on cross-sectional, self-reported data gathered at a single point in time, which is inherently subjective and not based on independent observation or assessment. This critical admission undermines the foundation of Grant’s claims that algorithms and rabbit holes are pervasive threats.