Communication of statistical information to the population

Communicating statistics to the public is a very important and difficult endeavor. In addition, modern societies and societal problems are becoming increasingly complex and the need for reliable statistical information grows. Data has become a highly important and vulnerable asset. It also requires skills to convey sometimes complex and nuanced information and to interpret it correctly (on the part of the receiver). Social media have become both efficient and confusing communication channels, as both high and low quality information can easily go viral and reach millions of people within a short period of time. Statistical facts and scientific knowledge are questioned more than ever. This chapter is about the pitfalls and challenges regarding communicating statistical information to the population and the importance of scientific transparency in general. Pearl Dykstra, as the first scientific director of ODISSEI, has been the Dutch frontrunner investing in open science and FAIR use of data.