Samenvatting

Online search behavior, stored by search engines such as Google, is a type of Big Data that allows researchers and policymakers to screen and scan the effects of implemented (e)interventions. This contribution uses the implementation of a specific anti-piracy intervention as a case study in order to test the usability of online search behavior as an indicator of the effects of an intervention. The data demonstrates that changes in online search behavior have occurred following implementation. The main issue that emerges is the attribution of the findings presented. One way to approach this attribution issue is by performing a counterfactual. Though this alleviates the attribution issue somewhat, it does not solve it in its entirety. Overall, it is suggested that the described usage of Big Data serves as a novel tool to quickly and easily screen the potential effects following the implementation of policy before selecting more resource-consuming methods.