Rapid advancements in communications and database technologies are changing the societal landscape across which public opinion and survey researchers operate. In particular, the ways in which people both access and share information about attitudes, opinions, and behaviors have gone through perhaps a greater transformation in the last decade than in any previous point in history and this trend appears likely to continue. This course examines some of the research findings to date with respect to the use of mobile and social media platforms as vehicles for collecting information on attitudes, opinions and behaviors. For each area, we will explore current applications, known best practices, and cautions, including smartphones (for surveys, GPS, and visual data collection) and social network platforms (surveys and other forms of information). Examples will be provided from several topic areas, including assessment of political attitudes, health-related studies, and consumer research. The final section of the course delineates some of the more fruitful areas for on-going research to improve our understanding of these technologies and the role they can play in assessing public opinion.