Future Research
Little academic research has been done on external information gathering. Most
needed is methodologies for searching, compiling, and using these data in fraud
investigations. Most sources only list the available sources; more structured ways of
working with these data are needed. These methodologies can be included in textbooks
and university courses.
There has been some work done on privacy issues, especially by the law field.
However, more research is needed on how to regulate data providers, how to keep
information safe, and where the lines of privacy should be drawn. As these web sites
continue their move to international data, differences in country policies and cultures will
become important research topics.