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Hazy Boundaries: Virtual Communities and Research Ethics
[journal article]
Abstract This paper examines ethical issues specific to research into virtual communities. Drawing on an empirical case with online forums of education experts, we identify the following key issues: publicity versus privacy of the community; the definition of human subjects research; participant recruitment;... view more
This paper examines ethical issues specific to research into virtual communities. Drawing on an empirical case with online forums of education experts, we identify the following key issues: publicity versus privacy of the community; the definition of human subjects research; participant recruitment; informed consent; and ethical questions associated with observing virtual communities, and with reporting and disseminating research results. We maintain that different research cultures in different countries can present challenges when studying global forums. Acknowledging the ephemeral characteristics of Internet contexts, this paper argues that ethical considerations should be more case-based, instead of relying on one model for all solutions. We suggest that local ethics committees or institutional review boards could, with their expert knowledge of ethics, provide valuable support for researchers operating in the complex and dynamic terrain of Internet research, as well as in fields and research settings where an ethical review is not a standard part of the research process.... view less
Keywords
virtual community; digital media; online media; Internet; research; science ethics; data protection
Classification
Interactive, electronic Media
Sociology of Science, Sociology of Technology, Research on Science and Technology
Research Design
Free Keywords
digital ethics; ethics committee; institutional review board; Internet research ethics; netnography; online communities
Document language
English
Publication Year
2016
Page/Pages
p. 86-96
Journal
Media and Communication, 4 (2016) 4
Issue topic
Successes and Failures in Studying Social Media: Issues of Methods and Ethics
ISSN
2183-2439
Status
Published Version; peer reviewed