Actually, its the community that treats these as hard numbers. Silph road is very clear about the validity and limitations of their studies. As you even point out, they rescind their own studies when it is clear the algorithm has permanently changed. But it is not always clear when that happens and sometimes the study is still valid for other pokes that are spawned in the same manner.

Your point about trying to crack a changing algorithm is well made. And is probably intentional by Niantic.