Data Collection

Data project: User behavior in the internet

Project management:

Prof. Dietmar Harhoff, Ph.D. (Economics, Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition) and

Prof. Dr. Reto Hilty (Law, Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition).

The diffusion of the internet in the society and industry poses great challenges to decision-makers. Often reliable data are missing in order to make quick and rational assessments. The Munich Center for Internet Research will help to create such data and to make it available to all kind of stakeholders.

In a pilot project data on the behavior of users in the internet will be gathered. Of particular interest is how internet users handle digital works as well as how they procure – legally or illegally – digital content. It is also investigated how users perceive matters of online security and what measures they take to increase online security.

In a survey of several thousand internet users data on these topics will be collected. A feasibility study is currently underway, first results are expected in fall 2016. Parts of the questionnaire are based on comparable research efforts in the United Kingdom and Australia and will allow for an international comparison of results. Researchers at the MCIR expect that the results will provide guidance for structuring legal conditions for the use of digital content in the internet, for example in the area of copyright law.

You can download the interim report here: mcir-sprint-review-4-_-mpi