Infographics are everywhere these days. They are great at conveying information visually, but they often contain misleading or even false data. Are infographics really worth reading?
Infographics are visual representations of data. They are usually created using charts, graphs, maps, and other graphics. Infographics are commonly used to explain complex concepts, such as the benefits of recycling, or to show trends over time.
While some infographics are well researched and accurate, others are poorly designed and misleading. In fact, some infographics are downright useless. Here are 11 examples of the worst infographics out there.
1. The most useless infographic ever: “The Most Useless And Misleading Infographic On The Internet”
This is a graphic that claims to be an analysis of the most useful and useless infographics on the internet. It looks like it was made by a first year college student. There are so many problems with this graphic that we don’t know where to start! First off, the title is completely wrong. These aren’t the most useless infographics on the Internet – they are the only ones. Secondly, the author has no idea what he is talking about when he says that all of these infographics are ‘useless’ because they don’t answer any questions. Finally, the author doesn’t seem to understand how infographics work. He states that infographics should be short, sweet, and easy to read. That’s not true at all! Some of the best infographics in the world can take hours to make and require years of research.
2. “This Is What Happens To Your Body When You Die”
If you want to scare people, then this is your graphic. This graphic shows exactly what happens to our bodies after we die. It explains things like decomposition, decay, and putrefaction. But unfortunately, it also contains several inaccuracies. For example, the author states that “ infectious diseases are one of the biggest killers today.” Actually, infectious disease kills more than 100 times less people than cancer. Also, the author makes the claim that “your body will begin to break down within 24 hours of death.” While this may be true for animals, it isn’t necessarily true for humans. People have been known to live for weeks or months after their deaths.
3. “How Much Does A Car Cost?”
This is another terrible infographic that tries to show us how much cars cost. Unfortunately, the author didn’t do his research before creating this infographic. For example, the car shown in the graphic costs $10,000. However, according to Kelley Blue Book, the average price of a new vehicle is around $30,000. So, why did the author choose to use a car that costs 10x what the average car does? Because it sells better that way. If the author had chosen a car that was closer to the average price, then people would think twice before buying it.
4. “Why Do We Sleep?”
This is yet another bad infographic. This graphic purports to tell us everything we need to know about sleep. Unfortunately, it fails miserably. The main problem is that it contains a lot of inaccuracies. For example: “When we dream, our brains produce chemicals called neurotransmitters. These chemicals control mood, emotions, memory, and even muscle movement.” This simply isn’t true. Dreams occur when our brain waves slow down (i.e. we go to sleep). They don’t cause chemical changes in our brains. In addition, the author uses a picture of someone sleeping as if this proves that sleep is necessary. Well, maybe it does but there are plenty of other reasons why someone would look asleep while lying awake.
5. “The Most Dangerous Animals On Earth”
This is probably the worst infographic I have ever seen. Why? Well, it’s poorly researched which leads me to believe that the author just threw some pictures together without thinking them through. First off, the title alone is misleading. Yes, lions are dangerous but they are certainly not the most dangerous animal on earth. Second, the author lists sharks as the second deadliest animal behind snakes. Snakes actually kill far more people per year than sharks. Third, the list doesn’t include insects such as mosquitos. Mosquitoes can carry deadly viruses like malaria. And finally, the list only includes land based animals whereas many oceanic creatures are far deadlier than any land animal on earth.
6. “The World’s Largest Land Animal”
This is an interesting infographic showing us the world’s largest land animals. Although alligators come close, the largest land animal is actually a creature that is usually thought of as a fish: the blue whale. Not only is the blue whale larger than both elephants and dinosaurs but it is also able to consume huge amounts of food compared to its size. In fact, a single blue whale can eat up to 1% of its weight daily!
7. “What Is A Computer Virus?”
This infographic shows us what a computer virus is. It explains what one is, how it spreads, and how it affects computers. However, the author made one major mistake by not explaining what anti-virus software is. Many people still aren’t aware of how important anti-virus software programs are. If you don’t have one, then you should get one because it will protect your PC from malicious code.
8. “How To Make Money From Home”
This is a very well done infographic that teaches us how to make money at home. It tells us about different ways to make money online and offline. While this infographic may be helpful to those who want to earn extra income, it has been designed for marketing purposes. That being said, it does receive five stars for creativity.
9. “Top 10 Reasons NOT To Buy A Cell Phone”
If you’re looking for the top ten reasons not to buy a cell phone, then this infographic is perfect for you. It provides us with a list of the top ten reasons why we shouldn’t buy a cell phone. There is no doubt that these are valid points however, there are much better things to spend our money on.
10. “The Top Ten Things You Should Never Say In Public”
If you think that you should never say certain things in public, then this infographic is definitely for you. It gives us the top ten things that we should never say in public. Whether you’re talking to friends or family, these rules apply.
11. “Why The Internet Sucks”
This is another great infographic that covers the top eleven reasons why the internet sucks. It discusses problems such as slow loading times, popups everywhere, and ads following you around the web.
