Heuristic Synchronization of Real-Time Response Data

When real-time response data from viewers of a televised debate is collected via the internet, the server timestamps of the received responses may not match the correct times of the debate. This paper addresses the question of how the data could be aligned in retrospect, using an algorithm that approximates the playout delay difference between each viewer’s TV signal. The validity is shown by successfully approximating distinctive delays for viewers with satellite or cable TV.