Data donations – a user-centric approach to collect digital trace data

Authors

  • Lion Wedel The Weizenbaum Institute

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7146/journalistica.v20i1.171305

Keywords:

data donations, data download packages, digital trace data, screenshots

Abstract

Journalistica: The Methods Section

In this section, Journalistica puts a spotlight on research methods used in journalism studies and/or journalism practice.

References

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Bechmann, A., Kroman Brems, M., Olesen, M. K., Walter, J. G., & Wegmann, D. (2025). Data donation as a method for investigating trends and challenges in digital media landscapes at national scale: The Danish population’s use of YouTube as an illustrative case. Nordicom, University of Gothenburg. https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:norden:org:diva-13593

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Boeschoten, L., Schipper, N. C. de, Mendrik, A. M., Veen, E. van der, Struminskaya, B., Janssen, H., & Araujo, T. (2023). Port: A software tool for digital data donation. Journal of Open Source Software, 8(90), 5596. https://doi.org/10.21105/joss.05596

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de León, E., Votta, F., Jongerius, S., Mulder, J., Struminskaya, B., Araujo, T., & de Vreese, C. (2025). Can tailored recruitment messaging increase digital trace data donation compliance? International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 0(0), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/13645579.2025.2568497

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Groot Kormelink, T., Houwing, F., Struminskaya, B., Boeschoten, L., de Schipper, N., & Welbers, K. (2025). Meaningful informed consent? How participants experience and understand data donation. Information, Communication & Society, 0(0), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2025.2540915

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Wedel, L., Ohme, J., Mayer, A.-T., Gaisbauer, F., & Fan, Y. (2026). The platform matters: Cross-platform differences in data donation willingness, behavior, and bias. Communication Methods and Measures, 20(1), 53–77. https://doi.org/10.1080/19312458.2025.2605946

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Front cover of a Danish academic journal. White background with red on logo on top reading: Journalistica. And just below the logo a black thick black line or narrow black box running across the page with white text reading: ‘Nr. 1 · 2026 – Tidsskrift for forskning i journalistik’. In the middle of the front page the year 2026 is also printed with big characters. Minimalist design, no images or graphics.

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Published

2026-09-04

How to Cite

Wedel, L. (2026). Data donations – a user-centric approach to collect digital trace data. Journalistica, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.7146/journalistica.v20i1.171305

Issue

Vol. 20 No. 1 (2026): Journalistica 2026

Section

Methods Section

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Lion Wedel

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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