DTC Study
We are inviting older adults to take part in a study about how people use the Internet on their phones, tablets, computers, and smart TVs. A technician will place a small device (a Raspberry Pi) on your Wi-Fi router to securely and anonymously record Internet usage patterns. We cannot see what articles, videos, or messages you view — only general patterns like which apps or websites were visited and when, and we do not know who visited these apps or websites. Your participation will help researchers at NYU and OHSU better understand digital life, and you may also receive a personal report on your own Internet use.
See the introduction video below for details.
FAQs
Overview
Q: What is the purpose of this study?
A: We want to better understand how older adults use the internet on everyday devices like phones, tablets, computers, and smart TVs.
Q: How does it work?
A: A technician will place a small device (a Raspberry Pi) on your home Wi-Fi router, connected via an Ethernet cable. Once it’s plugged in, you don’t have to do anything else.
Q: What are the benefits of participating?
A: You’ll be helping researchers understand how older adults use the internet. If you’d like, we can have the Raspberry Pi device generate a personalized report of your Internet usage patterns over the study period. We will get the same report, too, except that we do not know it is tied to you.
Q: Are there any risks?
A: There may be a slight slowdown of your home Internet, especially during video calls. We have tested this and made sure the delay is minimized.
Installation
Q: What do you mean by "having physical access to a home WiFi router"?
A: Having physical access means you own or control the Wi-Fi router in your home and can connect devices to it directly. This excludes situations where you use shared or building-wide Wi-Fi networks. This will allow our technician to connect the Raspberry Pi to the router via an Ethernet cable.
Q: What happens during the installation process?
A: A technician will visit your home to set up the RouterSense device. They will connect the Raspberry Pi to your home Wi-Fi router using an Ethernet cable and plug it into a power outlet. The technician will also ensure the device is working properly by checking its connection through an admin dashboard.
Q: Will the technician need access to my devices?
A: Yes, the technician will ask you to show the IP addresses of the devices you want monitored (e.g., phones, tablets, smart TVs, or computers). This information is entered into the admin dashboard to ensure the RouterSense device can detect and monitor these devices.
Q: What happens at the end of the study?
A: At the end of the study, a technician will visit your home to uninstall the RouterSense device. They will disconnect the Raspberry Pi, Ethernet cable, and power adapter, and ensure all equipment is returned to inventory.
Q: How long does the study last?
A: The device typically stays connected for about 30 days.
Q: What do I need to do after it’s set up?
A: Nothing! Once the device is installed, it runs in the background.
Q: Do I need to keep the RouterSense Raspberry Pi plugged in all the time?
A: Yes. Please keep the RouterSense Raspberry Pi plugged in as much as possible so we can gather continuous data. Most of the time, you won’t notice it’s there. Just plug it in once, and you can usually forget about it.
Privacy
Q: What kind of information is collected?
A: The device records when your devices go online and how much data is exchanged. For example, it may show that someone in the study visited the New York Times app, but it will not reveal which article was read; or that someone in the study was using the YouTube app, but it will not reveal which video was watched.
Q: How anonymous is this data?
A: The data is anonymized so that it cannot be traced back to you personally. We only see general patterns of Internet usage such as the above, not specific details.
Q: What if you get hacked?
A: Even in the unlikely event of a data breach, the information would remain anonymous. A hacker with our dataset could see (i.e., what we can see) that, for example, someone (anonymous) in the study visited the New York Times app but not which article was viewed, or someone in the study was using the YouTube app but not which video was watched, or someone in the study was using a banking app but no account details.
Q: Can you see my personal activity, messages, or content?
A: No. We do not see the details of what you read, watch, or write. We only see patterns of use (i.e., which app/website was visited at what time), not the actual content.
Q: Who has access to the data?
A: Only approved researchers at New York University (NYU) and Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). The data is anonymized, so we cannot link it back to you.
Q: How is this different from my Internet Service Provider (ISP)?
A: Your ISP already has access to the same information, except that they know it is you (i.e., not anonymized). Also, some ISPs use the data for commercial purposes. In contrast, our data is anonymous. We do not sell or commercialize your data. It is used only for research.
Q: How can I stop the monitoring if I feel uncomfortable?
A: You can unplug the Raspberry Pi at any time, either by disconnecting the power adapter or the Ethernet cable. If you decide to resume participation, simply plug it back in.
Q: What if the device stops working?
A: If the device is offline for more than 12 hours, a technician will contact you to troubleshoot the issue. They may ask you to check the Ethernet cable and power connection. If the issue cannot be resolved remotely, the technician may schedule a follow-up visit.
Q: What if I am doing something really sensitive and don’t want RouterSense to observe it?
A: That’s completely fine. You can unplug the Raspberry Pi whenever you’d like—either by disconnecting the power or unplugging the Ethernet cable. Just remember to plug it back in once you are done. If the Raspberry Pi is offline for more than 12 hours, our technicians will contact you to check in.
Q: What kind of data do you see?
A: We only see very general information about Internet activity—similar to what your phone company or Internet provider can see. The actual content of your activity is encrypted, so we cannot see details such as the words in a message or the exact video you are watching. Examples:
- We may see that someone is using YouTube, but we cannot tell who it is or which exact video is being watched.
- We may see that someone is using a banking app, but we cannot see whose account it is or any personal details like balances.
- We may see that someone is shopping on Amazon, but we cannot tell who is shopping or what they are buying.
Q: Can my data be traced back to me personally?
A: No. The system is designed so that we cannot link any online activity to you as an individual. With 32 active participants right now, we only know that “someone” is using a website or app—not who it is. Even in the very unlikely event of a data breach, the information would remain anonymous, just as we see it.
Q: Are there any rules about what devices I connect?
A: Yes. Please only include devices that you personally own. If you share a device (for example, with a roommate or partner), make sure they are aware of and okay with the study before you include that device.