App usage data vendors and other vendors that scrape or automate online data collection are now citing several forms of “emulation” as their sourcing method. Emulation is not new; however, we believe that many buyers do not ask about it or uncover it during their diligence process. Whether it impacts data quality or raises a new compliance risk, buyers need to understand emulation and consider it in data sourcing.

We suggest that buyers consider categorising information sources by risk, rather than focusing on whether they are “alternative.”