MarketTools to Patent Survey Fraud Spotter

In the US, online research specialist MarketTools has applied to patent its Survey Fraud Detection System, which automatically identifies and removes fraudulent responses from data sets.

The firm says that conventional attempts to remove fake responses from survey data - such as those caused by respondents speeding through answers or 'straight-lining' responses - include the use of pattern matching and/or reverse logic. However, it adds that there are accuracy problems with using these methods and they can also be cumbersome to implement.

When integrated with the company's survey platform zTelligence, the new data validation technology correlates survey-taking time and response patterns to identify abnormal respondent behaviour. Falsified data is then removed from the data set, and these panelists are removed from the panel.

'This technology means that our customers can be confident in the accuracy of their survey response data and overall quality of their market research,' commented John Ouren, EVP and General Manager of the firm's self-service online research subsidiary Zoom Businesses (who joined the firm in October www.mrweb.com/drno/news7447.htm ).

He added that the new system is the first in a series of data quality technology tools the firm plans to rolls out.

MarketTools was founded in San Francisco in 1997 and the firm and its subsidiary are online at www.markettools.com and www.zoomerang.com. Last month, the company launched Zoomerang Anywhere to enable researchers and marketers to generate their own mobile phone surveys (www.mrweb.com/drno/news7581.htm ).

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.

• MarketTools Ltd
• All news