Articles

Survey fraud, defined as a systematic act of intentional deception in order to gain a benefit during the conduct of survey research, has moved from being an occasional nuisance to an existential challenge for the market research industry. The Insights Association Code of Standards and Ethics provides a clear mandate: researchers must ensure transparency, methodological clarity, and data integrity. Nowhere is that more relevant than in how we prevent and disclose acts of fraud.

February may be a shorter month on the calendar, but there was no shortage of advocacy work for the insights industry with new Trump Administration leadership, federal privacy legislation, more taxes in New Jersey and Washington state, disappearing census data, a new legislative threat to the ACS, AI regulation in Virginia and New York, federal reporting requirements for small businesses, and more.

Market research is not a promotional activity or a sales opportunity. While research and marketing intersect at times, they are different disciplines, have different underlying purposes, and raise different ethical and legal concerns. Thus, market research and marketing are subject to different regulations. While research and marketing are mutually beneficial, companies and organizations should maintain separate research and marketing functions for both to be successful.

"Sugging" is a term used by survey researchers to describe the unethical practice of selling under the guise of research.