Panel Quality Answers to ESOMAR’s 37 Questions
This set of questions offers a framework for buyers to use when evaluating the offerings of different online sample providers. It updates and replaces the 2012 ESOMAR publication, 28 Questions to Help Buyers of Online Samples.
The questions identify the key issues to consider, introduce consistent terminology, explain why each question should be asked, and note the issues buyers should expect to be covered in an answer. The intended use of these questions is that they form a basis for a conversation between buyer and sample provider, rather than simply being used as a checklist to compare offerings across providers.
The questions do not cover B2B samples, nor do they attempt to cover specific requirements for different types of research such as pricing, new product development, ad testing etc.
When online access panels were first introduced in the 1990s, the model was relatively simple: a buyer provided sampling specifications to a panel owner who drew a sample (from that panel). Over the intervening 25 years, online sample selection has changed in two fundamental ways. First, buyers can now access a a broader set of sources that now includes participants in loyalty programmes and rewards communities within “Get Paid To’sites, customer lists, intercepts from offer walls, affiliate networks, social media, and other platforms, as well as traditional panels that may or may not be owned by the provider. Second, buyers have the option to access these sources directly via self-service tools, rather than relying on a sample provider to generate the sample on their behalf.
There have been other important changes as well. Online research has become truly global and mobile devices have become a common data collection platform. The use of online samples has broadened beyond surveys to include qual/quant applications, communities, passive data collection, and so on. Concerns about privacy and data protection have led to a much-changed regulatory environment that imposes new requirements on both sample buyers and sample providers. Quality assurance techniques have become increasingly sophisticated. As a consequence, the number of issues that buyers must consider when choosing a sample provider has increased substantially.
Finally, sample quality is an essential component of all research but it alone does not guarantee reliable, actionable results. While not covered in this document, we note that a well thought out research design; a clear definition of the target population; a questionnaire that is both easy for participants to complete and accurately measures key variables; and a well-designed analysis plan are also essential.
This answer might help you to form an opinion about the relevant experience of the sample provider as well as potential biases that might result from other uses such as being paid to watch ads or receiving a high volume of marketing messages.
aboutpeople has been active in the field of market research and data collection since 2019, providing online fieldwork services and leveraging a proprietary participant base (online panel).
The company has experience both in end-to-end market research projects—where it undertakes overall study design, data collection, and analysis—and in projects where it provides sample and fieldwork only on behalf of external partners and research organizations.
aboutpeople’s experience covers a wide range of online research projects, including consumer behavior studies, service and experience evaluation, social research, and ad-hoc projects, with emphasis on high-quality data collection and compliance with market research ethical standards.
aboutpeople does not use its online panel for direct marketing, promotional, or commercial purposes. All activity related to the participant base is conducted exclusively within the context of market research, social research, and research studies. Therefore, 100% of panel usage relates to research purposes.
It is important to know if the provider’s offerings have been designed by and are monitored by staff with knowledge of basic principles of sampling. This may be useful at the sample design stage as well as during fulfilment when quotas become difficult to fill or when weighting may be required. Ditto for any frontline staff who may serve as your main point of contact with the sample provider
aboutpeople employs staff responsible for the design, implementation, and monitoring of sampling processes, as well as the basic automated functions that support the management of online surveys.
These team members have knowledge and experience in core sampling principles, quota management, and data quality evaluation. Sampling performance is monitored throughout data collection to identify potential difficulties in quota fulfillment, sample deviations, or the need to adjust the sampling strategy where required.
Project support staff have practical experience in quotas, screening, fieldwork monitoring, and basic quality checks, in accordance with ESOMAR ethical principles.
Depending on your company’s capabilities, you may wish to work with a one-stop shop that can host your survey, produce basic tabulations, code open ends, and so on. There may be time and cost savings with this approach
aboutpeople does not limit its services to online sample provision. It offers a broader range of data collection services for market and social research.
Depending on project needs, the company can support:
Services include:
In this way, aboutpeople can operate either as a sample and fieldwork provider or as a data collection partner in comprehensive research projects, offering flexibility and adaptation to each client’s needs.
What this section is about
Answers to the questions in this section will help you understand the types of sample available from different sample providers in the market and the sources they rely on. This will help you evaluate the quality of the sample being offered, whether it is suitable for measuring change over time, and whether there are any specific constraints you need to consider when using it. It will also allow you to understand whether the sample provider is drawing the sample from its own sources or aggregating sources from other providers. We recommend that you first identify the sample types being offered and then ask the relevant questions for all sources.
Broadly speaking, there are two models of sample sources and recruitment:
Panels
These are databases of potential participants who declare that they will cooperate for future data collection if selected, generally in exchange for a reward/incentive. This includes traditional access panels, co-branded panels, or opt-in databases of individuals who agreed to complete research projects and also undertake other nonmarket research activities (watch ads, download an app, complete marketing offers, etc, also known as loyalty programmes, or rewards communities within GPT (Get paid to) sites.) Loyalty card and subscription databases are included here if there is a continuous relationship with members who understand the commitment asked of them.
Intercepts
This includes intercepts from offer walls, affiliate networks, social media or other platforms to drive traffic to a survey. Intercept is an approach where potential participants are asked to take a survey for a reward while they are engaged in another activity such as playing an online game, reading news, or some other online activity. Intercepted participants may be previously unknown to the sample provider or may have been pre-identified and profiled through a prior survey experience.
Sample providers may deliver sample from a single source, such as their own proprietary panel, or other panels. Or they may leverage a range of technologies and platforms to aggregate/blend participants from a combination of sample sources. Some providers may do both. Clarity about the sources being used will help you to understand what type of sample is being offered. This answer might differ from country to country and from project to project.
aboutpeople recruits participants from proprietary online sample sources based on voluntary opt-in processes and used exclusively for market and social research purposes. The main online sample sources are:
This question will help you to understand whether the vendor is‘running’the source or‘marketing’the source. Running the source implies a closer relationship with panellists and a deeper knowledge of recruitment techniques. This may also help you to understand whether the sample is exclusively available from this provider.
The contribution of each source is determined at the project level based on feasibility and client specifications and can be disclosed to the buyer for the specific project. Aboutpeople’s online sample sources are primarily proprietary and directly managed by the company.
The proprietary sources (website-registered participants and permission-based email database) constitute the primary and default source for data collection.
Depending on project specifications, data collection may be conducted:
The use of external sources:
Understanding the method of recruitment and whether the recruitment is by invitation only will help you to understand the quality of the sample and how it may be used.
Recruitment is conducted through non-probability, voluntary processes and relies exclusively on proprietary sample sources. Specifically:
Recruitment does not use: probability-based sampling methods, offer walls or non-research reward platforms, affiliate networks, organized referral programs
Participation incentives (e.g., points or prize draw entries) are linked exclusively to survey completion and comply with ESOMAR ethical principles. The company primarily operates in the Greek market; therefore, recruitment channels do not vary by geographic region. For projects outside Greece or requiring external panels, recruitment is conducted by the partner provider, selected based on quality, transparency, and ESOMAR compliance.
Understanding the level of recruitment validation undertaken by the sample provider will help you to mitigate effects of fraud in your projects. Working with providers who have fully developed strategies and are using up to date detection technologies is recommended.
aboutpeople applies a combination of basic checks during registration and at project level to help ensure that participants are real, unique, and consistent with the information they have provided.
During panel registration and management:
At project level:
aboutpeople does not use advanced identity verification technologies (e.g., biometric verification or digital fingerprinting). Instead, it relies on account-based uniqueness controls, consistency checks, and project-level data quality review to identify and exclude responses that do not meet basic reliability criteria.
By understanding the domain/app and method the sample provider is using with members, you will gain an indication of the extent of activity with those members and the quality of their relationship with the sample
aboutpeople uses its proprietary brand and domain aboutpeople to manage its panel and provide participants access to surveys. Survey access is provided through:
Most sample is contacted via email invitations, while a smaller share is reached via notifications or by selecting surveys through the dashboard, depending on the project type. Surveys are completed exclusively via web browser (desktop or mobile).No mobile application is used for survey participation.
Sample provision is offered through three main channels: managed service, self-serve, and API integrations. In a self-serve model, buyers are given access to a platform which they can use to specify the audience they want to access, and manage all the steps of a research project, from sample design to launch to fieldwork management to closing. In a managed service model, sample providers will provide that service. API integrations are the mechanics which allow sample providers, buyers and data collection platforms to automate some aspects of the process.
aboutpeople operates exclusively as a managed service provider. The company manages the full project workflow, including survey setup and configuration, sample selection and invitations, quota monitoring, quality checks, and final data delivery. aboutpeople does not provide a self-serve platform for clients to directly access the panel, nor does it offer API integration for automated sample provisioning.
It is well documented that different sources can produce different results. Consistency in source blending can be vital for tracking studies or other intersurvey comparisons. The use of a single, narrow source, such as a single supermarket’s loyalty scheme, may result in unintended bias.
aboutpeople does not operate intercept traffic, open exchange, or programmatic routing models.
The primary and default source of sample is the company’s proprietary panel.
In cases where project requirements (e.g., niche target groups, higher volume, or tight timelines) cannot be sufficiently covered by the proprietary panel, the use of an external sample provider may be proposed, either as a supplement or for the full sample.
Sample composition is determined based on feasibility and operational criteria and is clearly communicated to the client prior to fieldwork launch. External sources are used only following client notification and explicit approval.
There is no automated API integration or programmatic blending with third-party sources. Any cooperation with external providers is managed on a project-by-project basis, with clear identification of sample origin.
By understanding the constraints of the sample being offered, you can understand if the actual sample available from the provider meets your particular research needs and changes any of the answers given previously to this section.
aboutpeople’s proprietary participant base is suitable for a wide range of online market research and social research applications, such as:
The infrastructure supports web-based surveys on both desktop and mobile without restricting device type. For recruit/recall studies or repeated waves (tracking), participants can be re-contacted when they have provided the relevant consent and continue to meet the project’s eligibility criteria. The panel is not a probability-based general population sample; quotas are applied where required by the project specifications.
What this section is about Answers to the questions in this section will help you understand the processes and procedures that are undertaken to provide you with a sample of participants for your survey. You should understand what biases may be inherent in, or as a result of, the approaches taken and the likely severity of those biases.
The sampling process (i.e., how individuals are selected or allocated from the sample sources) may affect how random the sample is from within the sources proposed. Quota controls are commonly used to make samples look like the target population and, if done without thought, may be less than optimal for your particular project.
The process begins with defining the target group and project requirements (demographic characteristics, specific criteria, required completes, and fieldwork duration).
The workflow typically includes:
Fieldwork progress is continuously monitored. If deviations from target quotas are observed, the invitation strategy is adjusted accordingly (e.g., targeted invitations to specific demographic groups).
Commonly recommended demographic quota controls include:
The approach is based on non-probability sampling with quota controls, aiming to achieve the best possible approximation of the target population within the context of online research.
Targeting samples based on pre-existing profiles increases efficiency. Some bias may result depending on the precise questions asked, when they were asked, and to how many people. Appending existing information reduces the burden on the panellists in the survey itself.
aboutpeople maintains basic demographic information for at least 80% of its participant base, including:
This information is collected directly from participants during registration and/or through profiling surveys and may be periodically updated through participation in subsequent surveys.
Where relevant to the project and permitted under applicable data protection regulations, demographic variables may be appended to the final dataset.
A sample provider failing to meet your sample requirements may require use of additional sample providers, adding time and complexity to the project. Trackers should be assessed in the light of any exclusion periods you may want to introduce that will reduce the available sample for subsequent waves.
To assess project feasibility, the following information is typically required:
Based on these parameters and the available size and characteristics of the participant database, aboutpeople evaluates project viability and provides a realistic estimate of timing and achievable completes.
In cases involving limited fieldwork timeframes or highly specialized target groups, feasibility may be provided as a range in order to reflect realistic completion boundaries.
Where necessary, the possibility of supplementing with external sample providers may also be considered, subject to client notification and approval.
There may be good reasons why certain sample providers should not be used. For example; the provider may not have experience of operating in the geography relevant to your project.
If, during fieldwork, it becomes clear that a project cannot be completed within the agreed timeframe or original specifications, aboutpeople promptly informs the client and proposes alternative solutions.
These may include:
If the use of an external sample partner is proposed, the client is informed in advance regarding the sample source and associated cost implications. External sources are used only upon client approval.
Partner providers are selected based on quality standards and compliance with market research best practices.
Biases of varying severity may arise from prioritization in the order in which surveys are presented to participants or the methods used to allocate a participant to one of the various surveys for which they may appear to qualify.
aboutpeople does not use survey routers or yield management techniques. Participants are invited to a specific survey via email or website notification, or, for logged-in registered members, they may access a survey made available to them in their dashboard (not an open public list). There is no automatic redirection to alternative surveys in the event of screening failure.
An excessive amount of time spent in a router answering screening questions may cause a participant to be become fatigued, potentially impacting data quality.
Not applicable. aboutpeople does not use survey routers or redirection mechanisms between multiple surveys.
The information about the survey (and associated rewards) may influence the type of people who agree to take part, creating the potential for bias.
Participants are informed about available surveys through Email invitations, Website notifications, Selection of active surveys via their personal dashboard (after login)
Before deciding to participate, participants are provided with:
Invitations relate to a specific survey but do not disclose the exact subject matter in order to minimize potential participation bias.
Participation is voluntary and based on previously declared profile information and confirmation of eligibility via screening questions at the start of the survey.
The level of detail and the nature of the information given about a project may influence who responds, creating the potential for bias.
aboutpeople does not operate an open or publicly accessible list of surveys. Participants receive targeted invitations to specific surveys via email or website notifications. Only registered users who are logged into their account can view surveys available to them through their personal dashboard and choose to participate. The exact survey topic is not disclosed prior to participation in order to minimize potential participation bias.
The reward or incentive system may have an impact on the reasons people participate in a specific project and these effects can result in bias in the sample.
aboutpeople does not vary incentives during fieldwork or between sub-groups within the same project.
Where incentives are used, they are predefined prior to fieldwork launch and applied consistently to all participants within the study. Typically, incentives consist of entry into a prize draw or reward points redeemable for vouchers upon survey completion.
Participant satisfaction may be an indicator of willingness to take future surveys. Participant reactions to your survey from self-reported feedback or from an analysis of the points where participants drop out of the survey may enhance your understanding of the survey results and lead to improvements in questionnaire design for future surveys.
aboutpeople monitors participant experience through a combination of direct and indirect indicators.
At the project level, optional short feedback questions may be included at the end of a survey to collect input regarding overall participation experience and questionnaire length.
Participant satisfaction is also assessed indirectly through operational metrics such as:
These indicators are used internally to improve questionnaire design and overall participant experience.
Normative benchmarking data across multiple projects is not formally maintained but internal performance indicators are monitored over time.
You should expect a full sample debrief report. Sample providers should be able to list the standard reports and metrics that they make available.
Upon project completion, aboutpeople can provide a concise fieldwork summary report, including:
Additional reporting can be provided upon agreement with the client.
What this section is about
This section focuses on the quality of the in-survey data. In-survey data quality includes project level data validity and representativeness, survey-taking behaviours, sample blends, participant characteristics, and project level data health and audit practices.
Answers to this question may alert you to about the potential for bias due to the participation of professional participants, simply survey fatigue, or category bias.
aboutpeople does not apply horizontal frequency capping across surveys. Participation in multiple surveys depends on availability, screening criteria, and project requirements.
Each participant may complete a specific survey only once.
Additional participation rules may be defined at project level where required.
You may wish to append data that enables you to analyse and trend data to look for potential biases based on participation levels, sources, tenure, and other data the provider may hold.
aboutpeople maintains and may use, for internal sample management and quality control purposes, basic information at the individual participant level related to survey participation, such as:
At the project level, aggregated or anonymized activity data may be provided upon request and in accordance with GDPR.
Personally identifiable information (PII) of participants is not shared with third parties.
Given the widely acknowledged risk of fraud in online research, buyers should understand identity and fraud controls, not just at recruitment, but at the point of survey entry. It is essential that there be measures in place to ensure that participants are who they say they are and that the member or email account has not been hacked, is not a duplicate with other accounts from other channels or panels, and whether or not the account is shared by other members of the household.
aboutpeople applies basic control procedures at project level to ensure that each participant can complete a given survey only once and that collected data is suitable for analysis.
The approach is based on controlled access via participant account or unique invitation link, screening questions, and post-collection quality checks.
At survey access stage:
At survey start and during completion:
After data collection:
Responses that do not meet basic quality criteria may be excluded from the final dataset.
Identification technologies:
aboutpeople does not use advanced identification technologies (such as digital fingerprinting or biometric verification). Uniqueness is ensured through account-based controls and data quality procedures. These are uniqueness and fraud-prevention controls, not formal identity verification
All procedures are implemented in accordance with GDPR and privacy by design principles.
Participant source is a known contributor to data representativeness. Knowing all the sources used for the project, especially for tracking and longitudinal research, and that the proportions from each source are known and reportable over time, will allow you to understand any population biases that might exist.
aboutpeople primarily relies on proprietary sample sources. A multi-provider blending model is not part of its standard operating practice.
For projects requiring consistency over time (such as recurring studies or trackers), the same proprietary participant base and the same or equivalent selection criteria and quotas are used across waves to ensure comparability of results.
Demographic quotas (e.g., gender, age groups, geographic distribution) are monitored throughout fieldwork, and data collection is closed once predefined sample targets are achieved.
If the use of an external sample provider is deemed necessary, this is proposed to the client in advance and implemented only upon explicit approval.
Buyers and providers often work together to track individual survey response quality, so buyers should understand what data the provider uses to confirm survey answers, block or remove a member, and how to enable that information exchange.
aboutpeople monitors participant quality primarily at the project level, using a combination of operational and qualitative indicators.
Quality evaluation focuses on in-survey behavior and response validity rather than automated panel-level scoring or activity-based filtering.
Key metrics evaluated during and/or after fieldwork include:
Responses that do not meet predefined quality criteria are excluded from the final dataset prior to delivery to the client.
Account-level actions (such as suspension or removal) may occur in cases of confirmed fraud, duplicate accounts, or serious breach of participation terms. However, aboutpeople does not apply automated hyper-activity monitoring, inactivity-based removal, or routine panel-level scoring systems.
Data cleansing methods are often built into survey programs and platforms. Some of those methods are set up to automatically remove responses, while others are optional or manual. Understanding what tools will be used will aid buyers in understanding how much cleaning they should plan to do once they receive the final dataset, and what biases might be introduced by automated cleaning practices.
For projects where aboutpeople is responsible for programming, hosting, and data delivery, questionnaire design and quality control procedures are applied to minimize undesirable respondent behavior.
Questionnaire design
During survey design, emphasis is placed on:
These practices help reduce random, inattentive, or incomplete responses.
Post-fieldwork quality checks
After data collection, quality checks may include:
In cases of significant deviations from basic quality criteria, such responses are excluded from the final dataset.
Participant experience approach
aboutpeople considers data quality to be closely linked to participant experience. Therefore:
This approach aims to support thoughtful participation and the collection of reliable data.
What this section is about
Sample providers, buyers, and their clients are subject to data protection and related information security requirements imposed by data protection laws and regulations. In addition, they may be subject to laws and regulations that may impact incentives paid to participants.
These laws and regulations vary by jurisdiction with different laws and regulations applying in different countries or states within countries, and are generally interpreted based on where the participant resides.
Applicable data protection laws and regulations include, but are not limited to: the Act on the Protection of Personal Information or APPI (Japan); the Australian Privacy Act (Australia); the California Consumer Protection Act or CCPA (state of California in the United States); the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act or COPPA (United States); the Data Protection Act (United Kingdom); amendments regarding data localisation requirements to the Data Protection Act (Russian Federation); the General Data Protection Law (Brazil); the EU General Data Protection Regulation or EU-GDPR (EU/ EEA); the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act or HIPAA (United States); the Graham-Leach Bliley Act or GLBA (United States); and PIPEDA (Canada). AB 2257 (the state of California in the United States) is an example of law and regulation related to employment which may impact incentives paid to participants.
Information security frameworks and standards include, but are not limited to COBIT, HITRUST, ISO 27001, the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and SOC 2.
Answers to the questions in this section can help you understand the data protection, information security and compliance policies, procedures and practices that a sample provider has implemented.
A privacy notice is required by various data protection laws and regulations as well as other laws and regulations as well some market research industry codes. A privacy notice discloses information about the personal data that a sample provider collects and processes and the way that that personal data is used, disclosed, and managed. A review of a sample provider’s privacy notice can help you understand their procedures and practices related to personal data and the degree to which they comply with applicable laws, regulations, and industry codes.
aboutpeople maintains a clear and accessible Privacy Policy, available:
The Privacy Policy describes:
Participants are informed about the Privacy Policy prior to registration and/or before participating in a survey and are required to explicitly accept the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy via a checkbox (opt-in) before proceeding.
aboutpeople processes personal data exclusively for research purposes, in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), applicable Greek and EU legislation, and relevant market research codes of conduct.
As noted above, buyers and sample providers are subject to data protection and related information security requirements imposed by data protection laws and regulations, other laws and regulations as well as clients. Understanding a sample provider’s compliance position with these laws and regulations is essential.
aboutpeople complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), applicable Greek and EU data protection legislation, and relevant market research codes of conduct.
Legal basis and consent
Processing of personal data is based on explicit, freely given, and informed consent provided via checkbox prior to registration and/or survey participation. Participants receive clear information regarding:
Collected data is limited and relevant to research purposes.
Transparency and data subject rights
The Privacy Policy clearly describes:
Data breach management
aboutpeople implements technical and organizational security measures and maintains procedures for managing data breach incidents in accordance with GDPR requirements.
Cross-border data transfers
Data may be hosted within and/or outside the EU, depending on the technology provider. Where applicable, appropriate safeguards are implemented in accordance with GDPR, such as Data Processing Agreements (DPAs) and Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs).
Data retention
Personal data is retained for as long as the participant remains an active panel member or until consent is withdrawn. Data is deleted or anonymized in accordance with company retention policies.
Data Protection Officer
aboutpeople has appointed a responsible person for data protection matters, whom participants may contact regarding the exercise of their rights or questions about data processing.
In your response, please address the sample sources you wholly own, as well as those owned by other parties to whom you provide access.
Consent for the collection and processing of personal data has long been required by market research industry codes. It is also explicitly required by some data protection laws and regulations. Some data protection laws and regulations, including EU-GDPR and CCPA as examples, also provide for access rights for participants to correct, update, or delete their data. Implementation of a participant support channel is also required by ISO 20252 (ISO 20252:2019: Market, Opinion and Social Research, Including Insights and Data Analytics – Vocabulary and Service Requirements).
Participants are informed about the processing of their personal data through the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use prior to registration and before survey participation.
Consent is provided through an explicit action (checkbox acceptance of the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy) during registration and prior to survey participation.
Participants may manage their participation and data at any time as follows:
Additionally, all participants may request access, rectification, or deletion of their personal data by contacting the email address provided in the Privacy Policy. Requests are handled in accordance with GDPR requirements.
In cases where external sample providers are used, aboutpeople relies on the consent and data protection procedures of the respective provider, as described in their privacy policies.
As stated above, buyers and sample providers are subject to laws and regulations such as those that may impact incentives paid to participants.
aboutpeople monitors and complies with applicable national and EU legislation governing market research activities and participant incentives.
Particular attention is given to:
Incentives used (e.g., reward points or prize draw entry) are symbolic in nature and are not designed to create excessive financial motivation that could influence participation or distort sample composition.
Relevant procedures are reviewed internally prior to each project implementation and, where necessary, advice is sought from legal or tax advisors.
When external sample providers are used, incentive management is handled by the respective provider according to their own policies.
Some data protection laws and regulations (for example COPPA and EU-GDPR) impose specific requirements with the respect to the collection and processing of the personal data of children and young people. These requirements include specific age definitions as well as a requirement for verifiable parental consent. See the ESOMAR & GRBN Guideline on Research and Data Analytics with Children, Young People, and Other Vulnerable Individuals for further discussion.
Panel participation is intended for individuals aged 18 and over.
If a research project involves minors, participation is permitted only if all applicable legal and ethical requirements are met, including appropriate parental or legal guardian consent, where required by applicable law. aboutpeople complies with:
When external sample providers are used for research involving minors, provider selection takes into account their declared compliance with relevant legal and ethical requirements.
Data protection by design”(which may also be referred to as“privacy by design”) is an approach that requires the consideration of privacy and data protection issues at the design phase of any system, service, product or process and then throughout the lifecycle. Understanding a sample providers use or lack of use of“data protection by design”can help you understand its data protection compliance posture.
aboutpeople applies data protection principles by design and by default by integrating privacy and security considerations:
Data collection is limited to what is necessary for research purposes. Organizational and technical measures are implemented to ensure confidentiality and integrity throughout the data lifecycle.
aboutpeople applies basic technical and organizational information security measures to protect the data it manages. These measures include, indicatively:
The company does not currently operate under a certified information security framework (e.g., ISO 27001) nor conduct formal external auditing. Risk assessment is performed at an operational level, based on project needs and system usage.
ISO 20252 is an international quality standard recognised by many market research industry associations. In addition to requirement for a system to manage research processes, it explicitly addresses requirements for data protection and information security compliance.
aboutpeople is not certified under ISO 20252 or another formal quality management system.
However, the company operates in accordance with market research principles and codes of conduct, including the ICC/ESOMAR Code, and applies internal procedures aligned with core quality, transparency, and data protection requirements.
Quality is ensured through:
What this section is about
This section lists common sample and data health metrics. Reviewing metrics periodically can serve as the basis for a conversation with sample providers about consistency and reliability, as well as whether the sample is appropriate for the population and business question being examined. Unexpected or unexplained shifts in metrics may also indicate the potential for bias or error. While not all of these metrics are required and there are no benchmarks on the“right answers,”providing transparency over time will create a meaningful dialogue about quality and utility.
aboutpeople provides performance metrics at the project level and, where applicable, by country and sample source.
As data collection is conducted through the platform managed by aboutpeople, the following metrics can be provided on a per-project basis:
✔ Average qualification/completion rate
✔ Screen-out and completion rates
✔ Average completion time
✔ Percentage of completes from smartphones
✔ Quota achievement at time of delivery
✔ Distribution of participation by country (where applicable)
✔ Feasibility estimates for a specific country and project specifications
When more than one sample source is used within the same project, the above metrics can also be provided by sample source.
Panel-level aggregated trend reports may be reviewed internally; however, standardized monthly public trend reporting is not part of the company’s current reporting structure.
A sample fieldwork report can be provided upon request, including core field performance metrics.
Project team and
Sounding board Project Team:
Reg Baker, ESOMAR
Pete Cape, Dynata
Melanie Courtright, Insights Association
Peter Milla, Peter Milla Consulting
Judith Passingham, ESOMAR
Administrative Support:
Joke Ruwen-Stuursma, ESOMAR
Sounding Board:
Rob Berger, Maru/Blu
Adam Birss, Rakutan Insight
Mike Cooke, ESOMAR
Olivier de Gaudemar, Consultant
Jonathan Deitch, Cint
Philippe Guilbert, Syntec Conseil
Jon Puleston, Kantar
Efrain Ribeiro, Consultant
Mary Beth Weber, CASE
For the purpose of this document these terms have the following specific meanings:
Affiliate partner (or Affiliate network) means a network of communities with which a sample provider has a relationship to direct intercept traffic to their surveys.
API (application programming interface) means a set of definitions and protocols for building software applications capable of accessing and exchanging data.
Blending means the practice of combining multiple, heterogeneous sample sources with the aim of achieving a more consistent or more representative sample.
Children means individuals for whom permission to participate in research must be obtained from a parent, legal guardian, or responsible adult. Definitions of the age of a child vary substantially and are set by national laws and self-regulatory codes. In the absence of a national definition, a child is defined as being 12 and under and a“young person”as aged 13 to 17.
Completion rate means the number of participants who fully complete the survey divided by the number of participants who start the survey.
Consent means freely given and informed indication of agreement by a person to the collection and processing of his/her personal data. Note that the specific requirements for consent will vary by jurisdiction.
Exclusion means excluding a potential participant from a research project based on their previous participation in a research project involving the same or similar product/ service category and/or methodology.
Fraudulent participant means a participant who deliberately misrepresents their identity, profiling information, or responses, including organisations that use bots to impersonate participants.
Health metrics means measures of quantitative assessment commonly used for comparing and tracking performance or production over time. In this context, health metrics refers to quantitative data used to track stability or changes in the sample a provider offers, and the metrics suggested are based on data that has been previously known to impact quality over time.
Loyalty programme means an arrangement in which customers of a company (or group of companies) are rewarded for purchases made with these companies. Rewards are normally given in a currency that can be spent at those companies (or their chosen partners).
Paid completes means interviews/surveys that are delivered and accepted by a client, are included in the final dataset, and for which the sample provider receives payment.
Panel member (or simply member) means an individual recruited from a documented source who has provided profile data and appropriate information for validation of identity, given explicit consent to participate in research according to the terms and conditions of panel membership, and has not opted out.
Participant (sometimes call a participant or data subject) means a person or organisation from whom or about whom data is collected for research.
Personal data (sometimes referred to as personally identifiable information or PII) means any information relating to a natural living person that can be used to identify an individual, for example by reference to direct identifiers (such as a name, specific geographic location, telephone number, picture, sound, or video recording) or indirectly by reference to an individual’s physical, physiological, mental, economic, cultural or social characteristics.
Profiling information means descriptive characteristics of a panel member.
Quarantined members means individuals who have broken some set of quality assessment protocols that result in them being either temporarily or permanently suspended from participating in future research activities with the company that quarantines them.
Referral program means a process whereby a panel offers its existing panellists the opportunity to gain rewards by referring family, friends and colleagues (or visitors of their site) to join the panel.
Representativeness means the degree to which a sample reflects the target population being studied. A representative sample is one in which the distribution of important characteristics is approximately the same as in the target population.
Rewards community (within Get Paid To (or GPT) sites) means databases or panels of individuals who may undertake non-research activities (watch ads, download an app, complete marketing offers etc) usually in exchange for a reward, but who also agree to take part in research projects.
Router means an online software application that screens incoming research participants and then uses those results to assign participants to one of multiple available research projects. A router can also offer participants additional screeners and surveys after screener qualification failure or survey completion.
Sample provider means a service provider responsible for the provision and management of online samples from relevant sources including panels, intercepts, email lists, etc.
Survey attempts means the number of times the same individual clicked a link or entered into a survey environment in an attempt to complete a survey.
Third Party Sources means sources that the sample provider does not directly run or control.
Yield management means a variable allocation strategy through which outcomes are maximised by matching supply with demand.
