ComScore

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The correct title of this article is comScore. The initial letter is shown capitalized due to technical restrictions.

Contents

comScore is an internet marketing research company that provides marketing data and services to many of the internet's largest businesses [1]. comScore tracks all internet data on its surveyed computers, giving it a great deal of insight into online behavior.

[edit] Data collection and reporting

comScore maintains a group of users who have monitoring software (known as Marketscore, OpinionSquare, NetSetter or JDCouncil) installed on their computers, having enticed them with chances to win cash or prizes. The software forwards users' internet traffic through comScore proxy servers. [2] [3] Although comScore is up-front about collecting user data [4], the software is unusually intrusive, able to track all of a user's internet traffic, including normally secure (https://) connections used to communicate banking and other confidential information. [2] As a result, several universities and banks have taken steps to block the servers. [5] [6]

comScore estimates that 2 million users are part of the monitoring program. [7] However, self-selected populations, no matter how large, may not be representative of the population as a whole. To get the most accurate data, comScore adjusts the statistics using weights to make sure that each population segment is adequately represented. To calculate these weights, comScore regularly runs smaller surveys (on the order of tens of thousands of people) using random digit dialing and random direct mail to accurately determine how many users are online, aggregated by geography, income, and age. [8] [9] [10] Correcting the Marketscore data requires having accurate demographics about the larger pool of users. However, some Marketscore users are recruited without being asked to give demographic information, and in other cases users may not be truthful about their demographics. To ensure the accuracy of the data, Marketscore verifies its users' demographics during the course of measuring statistical data. [11]

The corrected data is used to generate reports on topics ranging from web traffic [12] to video streaming activity [13], peer-to-peer use [14], and consumer buying power [15].

[edit] Criticism

Harvard researches have discovered cases where comScore monitoring software has been installed on user's computers without their knowledge. [16] Standford IT notes the monitoring software has been bundled with file sharing program iMesh without users being aware of it. [2] comScore says the only cases that has happened were due to a third party company that didn't have final approval to distribute comScore's software. Competitors answer that comScore is the only major market research company that relies on third parties to distribute its software. [16]

[edit] Company history

comScore Networks was founded in August 1999 in Reston, Virginia. [17]

Media Metrix originated as the PC Meter company and began publishing statistics in January 1996. [18] In July 1997, it changed its name to Media Metrix, citing the desire to track a wider variety of interactive traffic. [19] In October 1998, Media Metrix merged with its nearest rival, Relevant Knowledge. [20] The company went public as NYSE:MMXI in May 1999, reaching a market cap of $135 million on the first day of trading. [21] In June 2000, the company acquired Jupiter Communications for $414 million in stock, and changed its name to Jupiter Media Metrix. [22] In the aftermath of the dot-com bubble collapse and associated downturn in internet marketing spending, Jupiter sold the Media Metrix service to rival comScore for $1.5 million in June 2002. [23]

[edit] See also

Competitors in the internet market research space include Alexa Internet, Compete, Inc., Nielsen//NetRatings, and Hitwise.

[edit] References

  1. ^ comScore Clients. Retrieved on 2006-10-01.
  2. ^ a b c MarketScore Spyware. Stanford Information Security Office (2005-01-11).
  3. ^ An Analysis of the New Marketscore Proxy. Cornell's IT Security Office (2005-05-31).
  4. ^ OpinionSquare Privacy Policy & User License Agreement. Retrieved on 2006-11-02.
  5. ^ "'Researchware' watches where you click", MSNBC, 2005-04-20.
  6. ^ "ComScore: Spyware or 'researchware'?", CNET, 2004-12-20.
  7. ^ Marketscore site. Retrieved on 2006-11-02.
  8. ^ (2001). "Review of comScore Methodology". Advertising Research Foundation (ARF).
  9. ^ Collecting & Analyzing Web Usage Data from User Panels 7,9,13. comScore (2001-04).
  10. ^ comScore Methodology. Retrieved on 2006-11-02.
  11. ^ The “Professional Respondent” Problem In Online Survey Panels Today 8-10. comScore (2005-06).
  12. ^ "comScore Releases Worldwide Ranking of Top Web Properties", comScore, 2006-10-26.
  13. ^ "comScore Releases U.S. Video Metrix Rankings", comScore, 2006-09-27.
  14. ^ Pew Internet Project Filesharing Data Memo (2004-04).
  15. ^ "Newspaper Web Site Audiences Grow Faster Than Total Internet Populations In Largest U.S. Markets", comScore, 2002-07-08.
  16. ^ a b Lisa Lerer (2006-12-97). How Much Privacy?. Forbes.
  17. ^ "comScore Networks Introduces "Customer Knowledge Platform" that Provides a 360 ° View of Customer Buying and Browsing Behavior on the Internet", comScore, 2000-09-18.
  18. ^ Surfing Down Memory Lane to January 1996: comScore Media Metrix Revisits First-Ever Web Site Rankings
  19. ^ "PC Meter Renames, Remakes Itself", Wired News, 1997-07-21.
  20. ^ "2 Rating Services For Web Merge", SFGate, 1998-10-13.
  21. ^ "May 7, 1999 Market Close", Motley Fool.
  22. ^ "Media Metrix, Jupiter merge in $414 million deal", CNET, 2000-06-27.
  23. ^ "Jupiter sells part of measurement unit", CNET, 2002-06-06.
  24. ^ MarketScore. SpywareGuide. Retrieved on 2006-11-02.
  25. ^ Report of Independent Accountants. Ernst & Young (2005-09-20).

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../c/o/m/ComScore_b35d.html"