Trace as a Sign: Epistemology and Methodology of Digital Data in Sociology

The article is dedicated to the analysis of epistemological and methodological problems related to the integration of digital traces into empirical sociology. The relevance of the topic is determined by the growth in the volume of digital data and the necessity for their meaningful integration into the social sciences. As experience from other researchers shows, the analysis of digital behavioral data currently tends to attract criticism. This directly leads to the goal of this article—to analyze and identify the epistemological and methodological complexities of integrating digital traces into the sociological tradition, as well as to demonstrate that working with such data types is situated within a much broader historical and theoretical framework. Furthermore, the task is to justify the necessity of an interpretative approach to any volumes of digital data and emphasize the need for contextualization and critical reflection at all stages of research. The methodological basis of the article consists of general scientific methods—theoretical and methodological analysis, comparison, and generalization of scientific sources on the research problem. As a result of the research, the necessity for a comprehensive approach has been substantiated, which suggests a diverse basis for sources of digital behavioral data, a combination of quantitative analysis of digital data with interpretation, consideration of platform specificity, possible algorithmic selection in the formation of the sample of extracted data, and the need to check the authenticity of the data for automated activity. It was concluded that a critical attitude towards digital data is necessary at all stages of research and that these data should be understood as signs requiring scientific reflection rather than as ready-made empirical facts. Nevertheless, it has been identified that such a perspective can also be traced in earlier key works on non-reactive research strategies in sociology. Based on the conducted work, recommendations and examples of studies using an interpretative framework were proposed, both at the level of qualitative strategies for digital research and on scales understood in the broader discourse as Big Data.

digital footprints, digital sociology, data interpretation, methodology of sociological research, epistemology of digital data, Big Data, social media, non-reactive strategy, empirical sociology, digital behavioral data