This is propaganda. What actually happened? Some people were shown linear data on a linear scale, others were shown the same linear data on a logarithmic scal

This is propaganda. What actually happened? Some people were shown linear data on a linear scale, others were shown the same linear data on a logarithmic scale. The people who saw a straight line, because the scale matched the data, were better able to interpret and extrapolate the data. The spread of the novel coronavirus in the USA used to be exponential, but it was linear at the time the subjects were asked to analyse. You don't say! Before the the authors recruited 2000 subjects to investigate that, maybe they could have enrolled in Physics Practical 101 and listened to the demonstrator. If they went to an old-school physics department, they would have seen some real semi-log graph paper, designed for people to read actual values off. It doesn't look anything like the scales on their graphs. Oh, but the subjects who saw a linear graph were more likely to accept the authors' opinion on what to do about that data. The authors are right: the USA and UK should do more to contain the coronavirus. But it's still propaganda to advocate that data be presented in a certain format because that makes readers agree with your opinion, even when your opinion is right.