ComScore

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

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.

1 Data collection and reporting
2 Criticism
3 Company history
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Data collection and reporting

comScore maintains a group of users who have monitoring software (with brands including PermissionResearch, OpinionSquare and Marketscore) installed on their computers. In exchange for joining the comScore research panels, users are presented with various benefits, including computer security software, Internet data storage, virus scanning and chances to win cash or prizes. In the past, the software forwarded users' internet traffic through comScore proxy servers, which caused criticism among IT professionals. ^[2] ^[3] As a result, several universities and banks took steps to block the proxy servers. ^[4] ^[5] In response to these concerns, comScore no longer uses this technology.^{[citation needed]}

comScore is up-front about collecting user data ^[6] and the software's ability to track all of a user's internet traffic, including normally secure (https://) connections used to communicate banking and other confidential information. ^[2]

comScore estimates that two 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 recruits panelists using random digit dialing and other offline recruiting methods to accurately determine how many users are online, aggregated by geography, income, and age. ^[8] ^[9] ^[10] Correcting the comScore data requires having accurate demographics about the larger pool of users. However, some comScore 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, comScore 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], and consumer buying power ^[14].

[edit] Criticism

A Harvard researcher alleges that there are a few cases where comScore software has been installed on users' computers without their knowledge. ^[15] Stanford IT notes the monitoring software has been bundled with file sharing program iMesh without users being aware of it ^[2], although comScore's relationship with iMesh was short-lived and occurred several years ago. Competitors note that comScore is the only major market research company that relies on third parties to distribute its software. ^[15]

[edit] Company history

comScore Networks was founded in August 1999 in Reston, Virginia. ^[16]

Media Metrix originated as the PC Meter company and began publishing statistics in January 1996. ^[17] In July 1997, it changed its name to Media Metrix, citing the desire to track a wider variety of interactive traffic. ^[18] In October 1998, Media Metrix merged with its nearest rival, Relevant Knowledge. ^[19] The company went public as NASDAQ:MMXI in May 1999, reaching a market cap of $135 million on the first day of trading. ^[20] In June 2000, the company acquired Jupiter Communications for $414 million in stock, and changed its name to Jupiter Media Metrix. ^[21] 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. ^[22]

comScore announced on March 30, 2007 its intent to sell shares in an initial public offering and be traded on the Nasdaq using the symbol "SCOR".^[23]^[7]