Final answer:
The statement regarding the default global scope of variables is false, as default scoping rules depend on the programming language. In some languages, variables can be global by accident, while in others they are local within functions by default.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement 'Variables are global in scope by default; one must use a special technique to declare a variable to be local in scope' is false. The default scope of a variable, whether it will be global or local, depends on the programming language being used. For instance, in JavaScript, variables declared without the var, let, or const keywords are automatically global, which is generally seen as bad practice due to potential conflicts in the global namespace. However, in many other programming languages like Python, variables that are declared within a function are local to that function by default and a special syntax is needed to declare them as global.