ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on general methodological challenges during the collection of online data and pointed a key issues arising in the context of online data in theoretical and practical research. The online data collection consists of a multi-stage process of selection and reduction of data that is integrated into the traditional research process of theory development, operationalization, data collection, and data analysis. Online communication is characterized by the fact that data are digitally produced and disseminated. The interaction of users and a platform data are processed and stored by the platform. Interfaces determine data and available for scientific processing. A special form of interfaces is the user interface, unlike the programming interfaces does not primarily serve machine-machine interaction, but enable human-machine interaction. The tool used depends on the researcher's expertise. Researchers with a high level of technical knowledge and complete control over their collection tools to understand how APIs function.
