This methodological paper addresses the practical strategies, implications, benefits, and drawbacks of collecting qualitative semi-structured interview data about Internetbased research topics using four different interaction systems: face-to-face; telephone; e-mail; and instant messaging. The paper is based on a review of the literature and 53 reflection on the experiences of the authors in performing completed research that used those four interaction systems. It focuses on functional effects (e.g., scheduling and other logistics, data transcription, and data management), as well as methodological effects (e.g., ability to probe, collecting affective data, and susceptibility to participant validation).