Understanding Data Suppression

When reviewing your benchmark survey results, you may notice that certain data is missing or hidden—this is called data suppression. There are several reasons for this:

1. Low Respondent Counts:

Polco suppresses data from demographic groups with very few respondents. This is done to protect respondent privacy and prevent individual identities from being revealed, in line with our Privacy Policy. If there aren’t enough responses, the data could be identifiable, so it’s not shown.

2. Lack of Representativeness:

Data may also be suppressed if the results don’t accurately represent a demographic group. This helps ensure that the data displayed is reflective of the group’s actual views.

3. Impact on Crosstabs:

Crosstabulations require sufficient data for at least two groups within a demographic. If data is suppressed due to privacy or representativeness, the crosstab for that group won’t be available. In some cases, if multiple groups lack enough data, crosstabulations for the entire demographic may be hidden.

Why Data Suppression Matters:

Ultimately, data suppression ensures privacy and maintains the integrity of your survey results, making sure the data is both representative and trustworthy.