German Internet Panel, Recruitment 2018

The German Internet Panel (GIP) is a longitudinal panel survey of the Collaborative Research Center SFB 884 “Political Economy of Reforms” based on a random probability sample of the general population in Germany aged 16 to 75. The study started in 2012. As an infrastructure project of the SFB 884, the GIP collects data on individual attitudes and preferences relevant in political and economic decision-making processes. The data obtained provide the empirical basis for the scientific research of the SFB projects. All GIP survey data are made available to the scientific community as scientific use files. The topics covered in the GIP are divers and include attitudes towards reform policies, the welfare state, German and EU politics, health, social inequality, education, employment and key socio-demographic information. Questionnaire modules on these topics are developed by SFB 884 researchers in collaboration with the GIP team. GIP online questionnaires of 20-25 minutes are implemented bi-monthly. The present dataset comprises the 2018 recruiting survey. The second panel refreshment sample (i.e., the third recruitment survey) was recruited via postal mail with a two-stage probability sample drawn from local community population registers. In contrast to the previous GIP recruitment surveys, the second refreshment was a sample of persons. At the first stage, a random probability sample of 180 municipalities was drawn from all municipalities in Germany. The list of municipalities was stratified in advance according to federal state and population density. At the second stage, all the municipalities were contacted and asked to draw a random probability sample of persons aged 16–75 from their local population registers. The number of persons drawn per municipality was proportionate to the total number of persons registered in the municipality as their primary home. A total of 50,214 persons were drawn, from which the head office randomly sub-selected 13,050 persons for the GIP gross sample. Subsequently, all persons randomly selected in this way were invited to the online panel by postal mail. Six different procedures were tested experimentally. These procedures are called “paper-first”, “concurrent”, “push-to-web”, “online-only”, “early-bird-incentive 20” and “early-bird-incentive 50”. At the end of the survey, the participants were asked whether they could be invited to the second part of the survey (online only) by e-mail or SMS. The central purpose of the second part was to obtain panel participation consent. In 2018, the recruitment process yielded approx. 3,000 registered online panelists with a cumulative AAPOR response rate of 24.1%.<br>Part 1:
Attitude towards digitalisation: technical devices at home as up to date as possible; frequency of internet use for private purposes; internet use: Internet use in the last three months for selected activities (downloading or listening to/watching music or movies, playing games, creating or uploading videos or other creative content yourself, looking something up online, reading news online, reading blogs or Twitter messages, maintaining a blog, Twitter account or website yourself, reading or writing emails, using professional or social networks, comparing products or prices, buying or selling products, online banking, other, not using the Internet in the last three months); devices used for internet use in the last three months (stationary computer/desktop PC, notebook/laptop, tablet, smartphone, other, internet not used in the last three months).

Social change and political decisions: Areas on which the state should spend more money in the future; areas on which the state should spend less money (health care services, basic benefits for the unemployed, employment support for people who are unemployed, old-age pensions, education (schools and universities), childcare facilities, homeland security, environmental protection, technical modernisation, integration, other, for none of these areas).

Demography: sex; age (year of birth, categorised); education: highest educational degree; highest professional qualification; no email address given; no mobile phone number given; respondent made further comments.

Additionally coded were: Respondent ID, GIP; household ID, GIP; person ID (within household); interview date (online); survey mode Recruitment 2018 Part 1 (online, self-completion paper); group registration Recruitment 2018.

Part 2:
Agreement with various statements about technology and the internet (exciting to try out newly invented technologies or devices, the internet makes it easier to communicate with other people, internet is a threat to personal privacy, easy to assess whether news from the internet is true, people should be allowed to express their opinions anonymously on the internet); problem-solving skills related to devices while using the internet.

Demography: place of birth in Germany, other European countries or outside Europe; marital status; number of household members (household size); partner in household; German citizenship; German citizenship since birth or acquired later; German citizenship of parents (only German citizenship, German citizenship and at least one other citizenship, other citizenship or stateless).

Additionally coded were: Respondent ID, GIP; household ID, GIP; person ID (within household); interview date; consent to participate in panel; incentive payout preferences (bank transfer to account, Amazon shopping voucher or donation to charity); private mobile phone number mentioned; private landline number mentioned; address confirmation.