Investigating the quality of digital
trace and data donation
Challenges to
traditional survey data collection such as increased costs and decreasing
non-response are leading survey researchers to explore new forms of data.
Recently, two types of data have received increased focus as a possible
replacements or enhancements of surveys: digital trace data and data donation.
Digital trace data refers to data produced while individuals interact with
digital platforms, such as apps and websites. Data donation, on the other hand,
refers to the acquisition of data from online platforms, such as Facebook or
Google, directly from users. In a recent study we use an experimental design in
a non-probability panel in Germany to explore non-response bias in data donated
from Facebook as well measurement error in digital trace data from PCs and
mobile phones.
Alexandru Cernat is an associate professor in the social
statistics department at the University of Manchester. He has a PhD in survey
methodology from the University of Essex and was a post-doc at the National
Centre for Research Methods and the Cathie Marsh Institute. His research and
teaching focus on: survey methodology, longitudinal data, measurement error,
latent variable modelling, new forms of data and missing data. You can find out
more about him and his research at: www.alexcernat.com