This is like saying that HTTPS is just security by obscurity because you have to keep the private key secret. The distinction between anecdotes and data is whe

This is like saying that HTTPS is just security by obscurity because you have to keep the private key secret. The distinction between anecdotes and data is whether you gather the information in a structured and reliable way. I would, in all seriousness, recommend a high school statistics textbook if this is new to you. There's a whole bunch of interesting stuff, including how you don't need a very large sample size to be able to draw conclusions from the data, but you do need to ask your questions in a rigorous way.