Datenspenden als Erhebungsmethode: Neue Wege zu digitalen Verhaltensdaten

Digital behavioral data has become a central component of social science research. For a long time, researchers were able to collect such data via the application programming interfaces (APIs) of commercial online platforms. However, as many platforms have significantly restricted access to their data in recent years, alternative data collection methods are becoming increasingly important. One of these new strategies is data donation, which is gaining relevance in the social sciences and computational social science. In December 2024, GESIS established the Data Donations Working Group, which has now presented a comprehensive internal report on data donations as a data collection method. The working group brings together expertise from several departments and receives legal guidance to ensure the responsible handling of data donations. Initial pilot studies have already been conducted; ongoing dialogue and monitoring of current developments are also key priorities.