Roya
ETHICAL ISSUES IN SOCIAL NETWORKING RESEARCH
Prof. Paula Swatman Chair, Social Sciences HREC University of Tasmania
Ethics in Social Media Research
2
Research into & with Social Media
• The Internet supports research in 2 quite different ways 1. As a tool: for finding & accessing people / material …
• Search engines, online surveys, etc.
2.
As a location: for meeting & interacting with people & groups
• Forums, user groups, chat rooms, newsgroups, etc.
• But this distinction is not so clear with social media • Users no longer fit neatly into categories • Tools are increasingly being built into social networking sites • The line between tool and location is blurring …
Ethics in Social Media Research
3
Social Media defined
Daryl Lang, ‘Breaking Copy’ blog
Ethics in Social Media Research
4
Ethical issues in social media research
Elizabeth Buchanan, Professor of Ethics, University of Wisconsin-Stout
• Researchers venturing into social media need to pay
particular attention to the following issues:
• Recruitment • Privacy/Anonymity/Confidentiality • Consent
– Age verification – Documentation
• Data Sharing / Data Storage • Terms of Service / End-User Licence Agreements
Ethics in Social Media Research
5
Recruiting via social networks
• Traditional participant recruitment is generally “push”
based
– Researchers know who they’re targeting – Even with snowball sampling, participant groups are ‘controlled’
• Social media participant recruitment is generally “pull”
based
– Potential participants can discuss the invitation – and tell others
about it – without any researcher control or influence – Response to participant invitation is interactive, rather than static
– And can lead to unexpected outcomes …
– Subsequent posts may modify already-posted information
Ethics in Social Media Research
6
Privacy in social media research
Problematic for researcher and participant
• Is the
Prof. Paula Swatman Chair, Social Sciences HREC University of Tasmania
Ethics in Social Media Research
2
Research into & with Social Media
• The Internet supports research in 2 quite different ways 1. As a tool: for finding & accessing people / material …
• Search engines, online surveys, etc.
2.
As a location: for meeting & interacting with people & groups
• Forums, user groups, chat rooms, newsgroups, etc.
• But this distinction is not so clear with social media • Users no longer fit neatly into categories • Tools are increasingly being built into social networking sites • The line between tool and location is blurring …
Ethics in Social Media Research
3
Social Media defined
Daryl Lang, ‘Breaking Copy’ blog
Ethics in Social Media Research
4
Ethical issues in social media research
Elizabeth Buchanan, Professor of Ethics, University of Wisconsin-Stout
• Researchers venturing into social media need to pay
particular attention to the following issues:
• Recruitment • Privacy/Anonymity/Confidentiality • Consent
– Age verification – Documentation
• Data Sharing / Data Storage • Terms of Service / End-User Licence Agreements
Ethics in Social Media Research
5
Recruiting via social networks
• Traditional participant recruitment is generally “push”
based
– Researchers know who they’re targeting – Even with snowball sampling, participant groups are ‘controlled’
• Social media participant recruitment is generally “pull”
based
– Potential participants can discuss the invitation – and tell others
about it – without any researcher control or influence – Response to participant invitation is interactive, rather than static
– And can lead to unexpected outcomes …
– Subsequent posts may modify already-posted information
Ethics in Social Media Research
6
Privacy in social media research
Problematic for researcher and participant
• Is the
References: • Buchanan, E. (2012) ‘Social Media, Research, and Ethics: Challenges • • • • • and Strategies’, the Rockefeller University Center for Clinical and Translational Science Webinar Series, New York, NY, Accessed 30 July 2012 from: http://www.uwstout.edu/faculty/buchanane/ Cheezburger (2012) ‘On the Internet, no-one knows you’re a cat’, Accessed 30 July 2012 from: http://cheezburger.com/5830762496 Hopewell, L. (2011) ‘The Pitfalls of Offshore Cloud’, ZDNet.com.au, 13 January 2011, Accessed 30 July 2012 from: http://www.zdnet.com/thepitfalls-of-offshore-cloud-1339308564/ Jacquith, M. (2009) ‘Facebook’s bizarre definition of data ownership’, Tempus Fugit blog, 26 February 2009, Accessed 30 July 2012 from: http://txfx.net/2009/02/26/facebooks-bizarre-definition-of-data-ownership/ Lang, D. (2011) ‘Where should you post your status?’, Breaking Copy blog, Accessed 30 July 2012 from: http://www.breakingcopy.com/socialmedia-flowchart-status Protalinksi, E. (2012) ‘It’s yours – until you upload it’, In Dignan, L. ‘The Social Web: who owns your data?’ ZDNet Online Debate, 12 April 2012, Accessed 30 July 2012 from: http://www.zdnet.com/debate/the-socialweb-who-owns-your-data/10087130/