CASRO Forms Social Media Research Task Force

US market research association CASRO has established a task force to address the ethical and methodological issues which have arisen since the emergence of social media research.

The team will be tasked with defining relevant topics and soliciting industry-wide comment with a view to producing guidelines that will eventually be included in 'The CASRO Code of Standards & Ethics'.

Jeff Resnick (pictured) - Global MD of Opinion Research Corporation - takes up the Chair of the task force, supported by a team which includes:

• Duane Berlin, Lev & Berlin and CASRO General Counsel
• Jeffrey Henning, founder and VP of Strategy at Vovici
• Susan McDonald, CEO of National Analysts Worldwide and 2011 CASRO Board Chair
• Annie Pettit, Chief Research Officer at Conversition
• Peter Milla, Technology Consultant for CASRO.

'More and more companies are seeking to extract sentiment and market the data culled from social networks and other Internet posts,' notes Resnick. 'With these activities come numerous issues regarding privacy, disclosure, and the proper handling of data.'

CASRO is hosting a 'Town Hall Meeting' on the subject of social media research on Wednesday, October 13, 2010 at its 35th Annual Conference in North San Diego.

Comments may be sent to smr@casro.org .