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Facebook Applications as a Data Collection Platform

Adam SageRTI International

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Why Facebook? Why Now?Facebook is big.

(Facebook, 2012)

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Why Facebook? Why Now?Really, really, mind-boggling big.

(Facebook, 2012)

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How Big?Huge.

Over 13% of the WORLD

(Facebook, 2012)

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How Big?

And in the U.S.•157 Million Users

•50.63% of the U.S. Population

•65.5% of Internet Users in the U.S.

(Social Breakers, 2012)

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Who are they?

In the U.S.

45%

55%

Gender

Male

Female

10%

24%

23%

17%

13%

8% 5%

Age

< 1818 - 2425 - 3435 - 4445 - 5455 - 6465 +

(Social Breakers, 2012)

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What are they doing?“Liking,” commenting, sharing

photos, connecting…

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What are they doing?Updating their status…

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What are they doing?Sharing content…

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What are they doing?Joining groups…

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What are they doing?Listening to music…

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What are they doing?Searching…

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What are they doing?And using Apps!

(among other things)

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In other words…We are changing the way we

communicate…

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In other words…

And we’re documenting it all.

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This Creates Data Big Data

Accessible data

Opportunities to create and collect more data

And we can do something we have never been able to do…

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New Types of Data

Tap into the social graph

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The Social Graph Our connections to

people and things:– Friends– Likes– Interests– Photos– Video– Comments– Status Updates– Locations– Groups– Events– Content

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Facebook’s Graph API

Graph API (Application Programming Interface)

Introduced in 2007 Allows web applications to operate within Facebook (over 7 million) Allows web applications to utilize data in the social graph

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Why Not Just Build a Website?

People spend their time in Facebook:

More people spend their time on Facebook than on any other website– 7 hours 45 minutes per month (average)

(Nielsen, 2011)

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What Does This Mean For Surveys?

We have been developing web surveys for years

Websites can connect to Facebook

Web applications (programmed surveys) can take advantage of the social graph

Surveys have an opportunity to evolve with Facebook

What role will applications play in this evolution?

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Networks: A Unique Opportunity

The meaning of our connections: – Tapping into the social graph provides opportunity to

explore on a level no other platform has ever offered.

Facebook shrinks the social world:– Since 2008, the average degree of separation

between 2 randomly selected Facebook users has dropped .5 degrees.

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(Backstrom, 2011)

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The Battle Between Surveys and Networks

“…as usually practiced, using random sampling of individuals, the sample survey is a sociological meatgrinder, tearing the individual from his social context and guaranteeing that nobody in the study interacts with anyone else in it”

- Allen Barton, 1968

(Barton, 1968 as reported in Freeman, 2004)@AdamSage

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The Battle Between Surveys and Networks

What is more valuable and why?

Ensuring random representative samples?

Understanding the true social structure?

OR

Understanding how surveys can enhance our understanding of networks, and how networks can enhance reliability of survey data?

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Surveys <3 Networks?

How are survey responses influenced by our social structures?– How do survey responses change as salient roles change

from one network to another (e.g. researcher to brother).

How can survey methods help understand the links between individuals and the world around them?

How can Facebook enhance our understanding of processes we’ve always studied?

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The New Communications Platform

Surveys have historically adapted to changes in communication, and that doesn’t stop with the cell phone and Web 1.0.

Surveys will have to adapt to new methods of communication and information sharing– Passive Data Collection– Interactive Data Collection

Applications offer a unique opportunity to harness this new type of communication

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So…

So how do we harness Facebok Apps?

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Uses for Facebook Apps:

What can we do with apps?

Administer Surveys

Maintain a (streaming) Database– Develop Registries with real-time updates– Longitudinal Studies

Create an Interactive Data Collecting Experience– Give data meaning to the user (e.g. instant feedback)– Create the environment and control conditions (e.g. give the app a

purpose).

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The Reconnector App

Allows Facebook users with military affiliations to reconnect with friends via advanced searches and filters

Builds a registry of individuals with military affiliations

Obtains useful data via social graph and supplemental survey

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The Reconnector App

Driven by 2 types of data:– Survey– Social Graph

Maintains a temporary registry

Provides interactive experience allowing us to understand some military connections

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Built-in Survey

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Considerations for Using Apps in Research

1. Incentive Structures

2. Acquiring App Users

3. Maintaining a Community

4. Privacy

5. Data Use and Storage

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Built-in Incentives

1. Users need a reason to use your app:

Social Tools (organize, connect)

Gamification (badges, levels)

Useful Information (data visualization)

Monetary (gift card codes, credits)

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Incentive Structures

Most Importantly…

People want to share and connect!

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The Reconnector App

Allows users to connect with other users in an isolated environment

Allows users to filter results

Allows users to share results

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(Federal Trade Commission, 2012)

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Generating a User-base

2. Participants!

Organic Growth

Advertising

Methods outside of Facebook– Inclusion in study materials– Linking in web/mobile surveys

(Federal Trade Commission, 2012)

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The Reconnector App

Utilized targeted advertisements base on:– Location– Occupation– Age

Adapted targets to hone users most likely to use the app, thus increasing its utility

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Reconnector Recruitment

Target your ads!

Define your user-base!

(Sage and Dean, 2011)@AdamSage

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Maintaining an App

3. App Management

Apps require maintenance!

Facebook’s API is constantly changing and evolving

Users may become bored

People need moderators at times

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The Reconnector App

Requires little maintenance (monitoring functionality and addressing user concerns)

Most management involves understanding data to optimize user growth/experience

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Private vs Public4. Privacy:

Facebook setttled with the FTC in 2011

Privacy and ethics evolve

Any use of Facebook user data requires a Privacy Policy

IRBs may require informed consent beyond the Facebook Privacy Policy– Sometimes these can be combined

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The Reconnector App

Provides an opt-out feature on every page of app

Privacy policy serves as informed consent

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Reconnector Privacy Policy

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USING User data5. Data Storage

Facebook requires user data only be used in a capacity that is necessary for the app to function

Your app must be created with this in mind

As you develop your app, ask yourself:– What data do I want?– How will the app justify access to this data?

Data can only be stored as long as your app is usable

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The Reconnector App

Data is stored on a secure server

Only most recent data cache is used for analysis

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What’s Next?

How will you utilize apps?

What role will apps play in the future of survey research?

What are the values and limitations of apps in our research?

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Lastly…

Explore the Frontier

“Move fast and break things… if you never break anything, you’re probably not moving fast enough.”

- Mark Zuckerberg

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ReferencesBackstrom, Lars. 2011. “Anatomy of Facebook.” Retrieved on May 16, 2012 from

https://www.facebook.com/notes/facebook-data-team/anatomy-of-facebook/10150388519243859.Blumberg. S. Luke, J., Ganesh, N., Davern, M., Boudreaux, M., Soderberg, K. 2011. “Wireless Substitution: State-

level Estimates from the National Health Interview Survey, January 2007 June 2010.” National Health Statistics Reports, Number 39

Burbary, Ken. 2011. “Facebook Demographics Revised 2011 Statistics.” Retrieved on April 6, 2012 from http://www.kenburbary.com/2011/03/facebook-demographics-revisited-2011-statistics-2/

CTIA. 2012. “ Wireless Quick Facts” Retrieved on April 30, 2012 from http://www.ctia.org/advocacy/research/index.cfm/aid/10323

Edmonds, Rick, Guskin, Emily, and Rosenstiel, Tom. 2011. “Newspapers: By the Numbers” Retrieved on May 1, 2012 from http://stateofthemedia.org/2011/newspapers-essay/data-page-6/

Kirkpatrick, David. 2011. The Facebook Effect: The Inside Story of the Company that is Connecting the World. Simon and Schuster Paperbacks, New York, NY

Facebook. 2012. “Amendment Number 4 to Form S-1.” Retrieved on April 24, 2012 from http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1326801/000119312512175673/d287954ds1a.ht m

Federal Trade Commission. 2011. “Facebook Settles FTC Charges That It Deceived Consumers By Failing to Keep Privacy Promises.” Retrieved on April 23, 2012 from http://ftc.gov/opa/2011/11/privacysettlement.shtm

Freeman, Linton C. 2004. The Development of Social Networking Analysis: A Study in theSociology of Science. Empirical Press, Vancouver, BC.

Lundin, Ingrid. 2011. “Update: Facebook Shuts Down Apps In Abrupt Policy Switch.” Retrieved on April 23, 2012 from http://paidcontent.org/2011/06/26/419-facebook-shuts-down-apps-in-abrupt-policy-switch-prelude-to-spartan/

Ovide, Shira, and Fowler, Geoffrey A. 2012. “Facebook Buys AOL Patents From Microsoft for $550 Million” Retrieved on April 23, 2012 from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303592404577361923087607762.html

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References (cont.)Pew. 2012. “Smartphone Update 2012.” Retrieved on April 30, 2012 from

http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Smartphone-Update-2012/Findings.aspxSage, Adam, and Dean, Elizabeth. 2011. “Using Facebook Ads to Enhance Study Participant Recruiting.”

Presented at the 30th Annual Southern Association for Public Opinion Research Conference, Raleigh, NC. Social Breakers. 2011. “United States Facebook Statistics” Retrieved on April 6, 2012 from

http://www.socialbakers.com/facebook-statistics/united-statesSu, Philip. 2011. “Call Your Friends Right From Facebook.” Retrieved on April 6, 2012 from

http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=10150223135777131Zuckerberg, Mark. 2011. “Our Commitment to the Facebook Community.” Retrieved on April 23, 2012 from

http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=10150378701937131

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Questions?Contact Me:Adam Sageasage@rti.org@AdamSage

SurveyPostblogs.rti.org/surveypost

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