What should be maintained to handle the data collected from an online survey effectively?

Maintaining data security and confidentiality is critical when handling information collected from an online survey. By encrypting and securely storing the data, it ensures that sensitive information remains protected from unauthorized access and potential breaches. This method of data management aligns with ethical standards and legal requirements regarding the handling of personal data.

Encryption transforms the data into a format that cannot be read without the appropriate decryption key, making it significantly harder for malicious entities to exploit. Additionally, secure storage practices ensure that even if data is physically accessed, it remains protected from misuse.

In contrast, sharing the data publicly can compromise the privacy of the respondents, especially if it contains personally identifiable information. Collecting data without analysis means the data may not provide useful insights for decision-making, and immediate deletion would prevent any subsequent use for research or reporting, which would contradict the purpose of collecting data in the first place. Thus, prioritizing security and confidentiality in data storage practices is a fundamental aspect of responsible data management in research.