Online Observation Studies: Ethics
Easy Ethic Reminders
Tip 1 Informed Consent Process and Respect for Persons
Tip 2 Confidentiality and Beneficience
Tip 3 Privacy and Justice
Tip 4 Anonymity and Concern for Welfare
Ethical Standards
American Sociological Association's Code of Ethics
- ASA Code of Ethics
The Code of Ethics (the Code) of the American Sociological Association (ASA or the Association) sets forth the principles and ethical standards that underlie sociologists’ scientific and professional responsibilities and conduct. These principles and standards should be used as guidelines when examining everyday scientific and professional activities. They constitute normative statements for sociologists and provide guidance on issues that sociologists may encounter in their work.
Ethics of Online Research Methods
Williams. (2017). Towards an ethical framework for publishing Twitter data in social research: Taking into account users’ views, online context and algorithmic estimation. Sociology., 51(6). https://doi.org/10.1177/0038038517708140 Parigi. (2017).
Online field experiments: studying social interactions in context. Social Psychology Quarterly., 80(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/0190272516680842 BRINKMANN, K. (2005).
Confronting the ethics of qualitative research. Journal of Constructivist Psychology, 18(2), 157–181. https://doi.org/10.1080/10720530590914789 Mauthner, M. (2002).
Ethics in qualitative research / edited by Melanie Mauthner ...[and others]. SAGE.
Ethics of Research Methods
- BRINKMANN, K. (2005). CONFRONTING THE ETHICS OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH. Journal of Constructivist Psychology, 18(2), 157–181. https://doi.org/10.1080/10720530590914789
- Mauthner, M. (2002). Ethics in qualitative research / edited by Melanie Mauthner ...[and others]. SAGE. Reid. (2018).
- Ethical dilemmas and reflexivity in qualitative research. Perspectives on Medical Education., 7(2). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40037-018-0412-2 Murthy. (2008).
- Digital ethnography: An examination of the use of new technologies for social research. Sociology., 42(5). https://doi.org/10.1177/0038038508094565
The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Data Collection by ISBN: 9781473952133Publication Date: 2018-01-30Chapter 3: Ethics of Qualitative Data Collection
Chapter 30: Ethics in Digital Research
The SAGE Handbook of Online Research Methods by ISBN: 9781473918788Publication Date: 2017-03-15Chapter 2 The Ethics of Online Research
Doing Ethnographic and Observational Research by ISBN: 0761949755Publication Date: 2008-04-01Chapter 8 Ethical Considerations
The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Research Ethics by ISBN: 9781473970977Publication Date: 2018-03-29This handbook is a much-needed and in-depth review of the distinctive set of ethical considerations which accompanies qualitative research. This is particularly crucial given the emergent, dynamic and interactional nature of most qualitative research, which too often allows little time for reflection on the important ethical responsibilities and obligationsContributions from leading international researchers have been carefully organised into six key thematic sections: Part One: Thick Descriptions Of Qualitative Research EthicsPart Two: Qualitative Research Ethics By TechniquePart Three: Ethics As PoliticsPart Four: Qualitative Research Ethics With Vulnerable GroupsPart Five: Relational Research EthicsPart Six: Researching Digitally This Handbook is a one-stop resource on qualitative research ethics across the social sciences that draws on the lessons learned and the successful methods for surmounting problems - the tried and true, and the new.
Data Privacy and Security
You will have to obtain IRB approval before collecting data from participants for research. You will have to describe how you will maintain data privacy and confidentiality and what kinds of data you will collect.
It is always important to treat data from participants with care, such that it stays private and confidential. However, there is some data that requires additional steps to protect, and may mean you cannot use some methods of data collection or storage. Consider whether you have
- Personally Identifiable Information (PII) - A person's name, identifier, or enough specific information that someone could figure out who they are.
- Learn about De-Identification (Qualitative Data Repository, Syracuse University)
- Sensitive Information - Health, legal, or educational data that is protected by law or that could potentially cause harm to a person's reputation or personal safety were it to be revealed.