Ethics in Online Research

Sipes, J. B., Mullan, B., & Roberts, L. D. (2020). Ethical considerations when using online research methods to study sensitive topics. Translational Issues in Psychological Science, 6(3), 235–239. Ethical considerations when using online research methods to study sensitive topics.

• Ethical Considerations in Online Research on Sensitive Topics:

  • Sensitive topics may cause harm, leading to emotional or physical distress for both participants and researchers.

  • Participants may feel uncomfortable or fear judgment when discussing sensitive topics.

  • Researchers may experience vicarious traumatization, struggle with processing and responding to stories, and maintaining professional boundaries.

  • Despite challenges, people often report positive experiences and find the research worthwhile.

  • Planning is essential to mitigate distress in sensitive topics research.

• Online Research Methods:

  • Websites and platforms facilitate finding populations of interest.

  • Active data collection includes online interviews, focus groups, and questionnaires.

  • Passive data collection involves unobtrusive methods such as gathering data from web forms, blogs, and social media.

  • Online anonymity can be maintained, providing comfort for participants in discussing sensitive topics.

• Participating in Online Communities:

  • Researchers should understand community norms and consult website administrators before approaching participants.

  • Procedural ethics assessment is needed, considering the public-private dimension and potential impact on participants and communities.

  • Consider potential benefits against potential harm, especially in cases of deception or deceptive identities.

  • The authors advocate for institutional ethics for all online psychological research.

• Ethical Responsibilities:

  • Participants must provide informed consent, and researchers need to anticipate potential ethical issues.

  • Monitoring for psychological distress during and after interviews is crucial.

  • Self-care strategies for researchers include reflexivity, supervisor/mentor support, and counseling.

  • Guidelines for responding to distressing disclosures and closing research profiles after study completion are essential.

• Ethics of Passive Data Collection:

  • Distinguishing between sources (authors or research participants) is crucial.

  • Obtaining informed consent for passive data collection on sensitive topics is challenging due to large sample sizes.

  • Automated dynamic consent procedures may address this challenge but require ethical consideration.

  • Algorithms predicting participant consent based on past behaviors are explored.

• Privacy Concerns:

  • Reverse identification risk exists when quoting directly from data.

  • Aggregated findings are recommended to avoid participant identification.

  • Plans for dealing with psychological distress and clinical issues, such as suicidal ideation, are necessary.

  • Participants should be aware of confidentiality limits, and researchers must secure and responsibly handle collected data.

• Ongoing Challenges:

  • Unexpected ethical issues may arise in both active and passive data collection.

  • Technological developments continually change the ethical landscape over time.