A professional Canadian polling company recruits an “online panel” of people who agree to answer many surveys during the course of a year, in return for a financial reward. The surveys are presented to the panelists through the company’s web site. The panelists’
demographic group and geographic location in Canada are recorded when the person joins the panel. When the polling company needs to conduct a survey it randomly selects from the people in the panel that match the demographics and geographical location required in the survey. Take the case of a survey requiring the opinions of women over 50 years old in New Brunswick.

a) What is the population of interest?

b) What is the sampling frame?

c) What issues arise in using an “online panel” of this type?