Protecting Human Subjects in the Digital Age: Issues and Best Practices of Data Protection

Abstract

Public opinion and survey researchers must protect the privacy and confidentiality of human subjects. However, scholars are often not trained in the best practices of data storage, and there is a serious risk that survey data might be compromised by pernicious actors. In an era when it is becoming increasingly difficult to recruit participants, breaches could further challenge our ability to conduct surveys if we cannot guarantee that participants’ data will remain confidential and private. While any computer-based data has some vulnerability, we introduce simple measures that will better protect the confidentiality and privacy of human subjects. We hope these could become standard practice to protect human subjects in the future.