Valerie Hase [email protected]
Version: MZES Social Science Data Lab, 2024-11-20
Data donations constitute a new method for collecting digital trace data: In line with the GDPR, users can download their data from digital platforms. They can then donate such data to researchers via Data Donation Tools, which process data locally on participants' devices and allow for their informed consent. Since data donations allow for detailed and longitudinal measurements of individual behavior, they can amplify other data sources (e.g., survey data, administrative data). This talk introduces data donations as a method from a social science perspective. It first discusses how this method is implemented in practice, both from the perspective of participants and researchers. Next, it explains technical, legal, and ethical considerations, such as which tools to use or how to handle sensitive information. Lastly, it highlights promises and pitfalls, including potential errors in representation and measurement.
📝 Slides
Valerie Hase is a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Media and Communication at LMU Munich. Her research focuses on computational social science, especially text-as-data and digital trace data, cross-platform perspectives, and digital journalism.