Collecting data through the Internet has become increasingly popular with researchers in epidemiology and public health. Internet data collection offers the advantages of saving time and money on research projects. However, researchers must also be aware of how concerns such as privacy, security, and error relate specifically to Internet data collection. This entry focuses on three specific topics: types of Internet data collection, techniques and protocols for Internet data collection, and privacy issues.

Types of Data Collection

There are two general categories of Internet data solicitation—active and passive. In active electronic data solicitation, the researcher directly contacts a specific population and asks for a response. In contrast, passive electronic data solicitation does not target specific respondents.

Active Data Solicitation

A researcher using active Internet data collection methods actively targets ...

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