Proposed Independent Contractor Status Rules from U.S. Department of Labor Raise IA Concerns About Classification of Research Subjects Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 4/24/2026 4:23:00 PM The Trump Administration has revived its proposed regulatory approach to independent contractor status from the President’s first term. The Insights Association expressed concern that the rules may not help the insights industry unless they affirm that research subjects who receive incentives are independent contractors, not employees. Read More
SECURE Data Act Would Establish National Privacy Standard, Protect Consumers and Enable Insights Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 4/22/2026 3:36:00 PM The SECURE Data Act would establish a single national framework to replace the current patchwork of state privacy laws, strengthen consumer protections, and preserve the role of market research, insights, and analytics in informed decision-making. Read More
Code in Action: Transparency in the Fight Against Survey Fraud Administrator Methods & Trends 4/20/2026 7:33:00 AM 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. Read More
2026 Census Test is Not Testing Much Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 3/31/2026 5:15:00 PM The Insights Association joined other stakeholders in expressing “concerns and disappointment” about the final design of the 2026 Census Test. Read More
The Researcher’s Role in an AI World: Making Sure the Right Voices Are Heard Administrator 3/26/2026 1:04:00 PM A look at how AI-driven analysis can unintentionally silence underrepresented voices by prioritizing dominant trends. Read More
Fighting for You: March 2026 Legislative and Regulatory Update Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 3/26/2026 10:01:00 AM March may have arrived like a lion for the public policy interests of the insights industry, but it sure isn’t departing like a lamb. The Insights Association faced challenges on multiple advocacy fronts this month, including: minors’ privacy legislation in Congress; the slow-burn impact of a recent under-the-radar European law; burgeoning concerns about contracts and terms regarding artificial intelligence and how they impact client data; changes to the 2026 Census Test threatening to make it... Read More
The Cleaning and Cultivation Needed for ‘Insight Renewal’ Administrator 3/21/2026 12:01:00 PM As we mark the beginning of spring, we check in with global insights leaders to find out three things that should be cleaned out and three innovations to cultivate to drive success. Read More
Insights Association Warns New 2026 Census Test Proposal a Waste of Taxpayer Money Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 3/6/2026 8:34:00 AM The Insights Association warned that proposed changes to the 2026 Census Test, a huge piece of preparations for the 2030 Census, will make it a huge waste of resources that undermines an accurate headcount of the U.S. population. Read More
What the Super Bowl Reveals About the Real Value of Insight Administrator Methods & Trends 3/3/2026 4:14:00 PM Behind the spectacle sits something far less visible but far more consequential: preparation. Read More
Fighting for You: February 2026 Legislative and Regulatory Update Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 2/26/2026 8:57:00 AM From Capitol Hill to state legislatures across the country, policymakers are advancing sweeping proposals that could reshape the legal and regulatory landscape for the insights industry. In February, debates over kids’ and teens’ privacy, federal data security enforcement, and the future of comprehensive privacy legislation took center stage in DC, while new developments surrounding the 2030 Census, artificial intelligence, and telephone research signal significant compliance and operational i... Read More