The computer that can predict your vote

[tambourine-man]

The computer that can predict your vote

There's a computer program which can predict how - and if - you'll vote, based on where you shop and which newspaper you buy. How does it work? Science fiction has become reality with a computer program whose makers claim it can predict the future with quite remarkable accuracy.

According to the program, Paan - which stands for Political Advanced Analysis Network - Tony Blair has got the next general election in the bag - despite Iraq, tuition fees and suspicions that tax rises are on the way.

Paan uses a mass of political and social information, including shopping habits, ethnic background and car ownership to produce predictions in every constituency. Despite its complexity, it can be operated from a PC. In 2002, for instance, it got the Welsh Assembly elections pretty much spot on, miscalling only one seat, despite complications such as three-way marginals and proportional representation.

The system was devised by a whiz kid in his mid-20s who was inspired by the theories of Professor Stephen Hawking that technology would advance to such a point that the future could be predicted if computers were fed enough information.

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Not sure if this is political or techie???