College Students' Perceptions of the Data Economy

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 8
  In Poster Session: Emerging Research on Society, Culture, and Change (San Diego)

Abstract

This work presents results of a survey focused on understanding college students’ perceptions of the data economy in the US. Results from 113 students across two years of sampling indicate that most students have trepidations around data being collected, but less concern around educational data. Students’ responses exhibited limited understanding of laws and technical processes that govern and facilitate such data collection. Surprisingly, despite the pandemic moving most students online between year one and year two of the sampling, little variation was observed from year to year. Potential implications of these, and other, results and next steps for the survey are highlighted.

Authors

• Anindya Roy

• Aaron Kessler, Massachusetts Institute of Technology