Battling bots: Experiences and strategies to mitigate fraudulent responses in online surveys
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
6-1-2023
Abstract
Declining survey response rates have driven many researchers to seek out cost-effective methods of increasing participation, such as conducting surveys online, paying incentives, and using social media to engage hard-to-reach populations. Malicious actors can exploit the monetary incentives and anonymity of online surveys, threatening the integrity of survey data. We share two recent experiences conducting online surveys that were inundated with fraudulent responses. Our objective is to increase awareness of this emerging issue and offer guidance for others to mitigate the effects of fraudulent responders in their own research.
Publication Source (Journal or Book title)
Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy
First Page
762
Last Page
784
Recommended Citation
Goodrich, B., Fenton, M., Penn, J., Bovay, J., & Mountain, T. (2023). Battling bots: Experiences and strategies to mitigate fraudulent responses in online surveys. Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, 45 (2), 762-784. https://doi.org/10.1002/aepp.13353