By Minhee Cho, PMI
The advent of the digital revolution and a data-driven society is fundamentally reshaping our daily interactions. Our purchasing habits are manifested online, and wearable devices monitor our health. Social connections are forged on social media platforms, and transportation is increasingly controlled autonomously.
In this manner, technological advancements such as big data, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of things are fueling innovation across numerous domains. However, these advancements are accompanied by multiple controversies and challenges. The collection and use of big data raise privacy concerns, and algorithmic biases raise questions of fairness and justice. Users worry about how their data is being collected and used and demand assurances.
The 2024 Trust Survey was conducted just a month before the South Korean general election. The mass media in South Korea was inundated with forecasted election results based on opinion polls, and such pre-election polls still play an essential role.
In South Korea, out of 1,990 election opinion polls published ahead of the April general election, as many as 1,228 were conducted via the ARS (Automatic Response System). The ARS method, used in every election, has been controversial, and its reliability has been questioned. ARS is criticized because it lacks interviewer verification and relies solely on respondents’ choices without background data, making it impossible to verify the reliability of the data collected. Moreover, many of the respondents have already firmly decided on their political inclinations, making it challenging to reflect the opinions of those who are hesitant or undecided. However, ARS surveys are still being widely used for each election.
According to a 2021 report titled “A Study on Issues and Ways to Improve the Reliability of Web-Based Election Polls” by the Korean Association for Survey Research, 68% of 815 election opinion polls conducted before the midterm elections in the United States used the “100% online” method, 21% used IVR (Interactive Voice Response – similar to ARS) combined with other online methods, and finally 10% were phone surveys. Opinion polls currently underway for the upcoming November U.S. presidential election are also being conducted online.
Conducting accurate and reliable election opinion polls while protecting personal information is polling organizations’ most important mission and responsibility. For that, using the survey methods that help achieve high response rates and encourage the participation of swing voters is necessary.
In recent years, large-scale data breaches have underscored the need to protect personal information. Such incidents can have social, economic, and even political ramifications. Therefore, the research industry must pursue innovative research tailored to the times while building an environment that protects personal information. Moreover, this industry must be prepared to propose new paradigms to address these challenges.
PMI has been supplying online panels domestically and to other countries since 2012. It provides services that contribute to customer decision-making through integrated data analysis solutions and consulting based on big data and AI. Additionally, PMI was the first in South Korea to attempt a web survey using a MMS(Multimedia Messaging Services) method in an election poll.
Minhee Cho, PMI
