Cyberspace Research –
A New Frontier?
In the article “Just Chatting,” Ellen
Whiteman (2007) discusses the ethical dilemmas in conducting computer-mediated research
with human subjects at universities in Canada.
With technological advances in computer-mediated communications, there
are ethical implications for online researchers such as confidentiality, role
of assent or consent and participant observation, security of information
control, and assumptions of anonymity. The
author examines the implications of the tri-council policy statement which covers
all research in Canada and applies to anyone at the universities before computer-mediated
research can be undertaken with human subjects.
In the United States, this permission process is known as the Internal
Review Board (IRB).
Issues of Consent
Whiteman (2007)
states “in my research, the ethical dilemmas I have faced have been in applying
the policy to the unique circumstances of doing research in cyberspace where
traditional ethical guidelines related to consent/assent and confidentiality
are not automatically applicable” (p. 2).
For instance, the ethical issues of consent and assent with participants
can pose an ethical dilemma in cyberspace.
The author discusses in her observation of adolescent behavior when “playing”
or “chatting” on the Internet, she required consent from parents, assent from
the participants, and approval from the university where the author works. Whiteman (2007) encountered further ethical
problems while observing the adolescents – she had not considered whether
consent was needed from the other people
with whom her adolescent participants were playing on the Internet. In
addition, the author reports “… I was challenged on whether I had the right to
use the content of the information which were a part of these chats” which was
shared between the adolescents and “unknown online party” (p.3). In her observations of adolescents “chatting”
online, Whiteman (2007) has begun to unearth how ethical issues such as consent
need to be applied with cyberspace research.
It appears that ethical issues in cyberspace research are complex, and presently
there may not be a universal code of ethical practices which apply with this
relatively new research medium.
Ethical Concerns in
Cyberspace
The author also
notes that ethical issues such as consent and assent are linked to issues of
public and private space online. If
space is considered to be public, observation of participants is allowed under
the rules of the policy without consent or assent forms. However, the author briefly suggests that the
rules become less clear in regard to private space and whether consent or
assent forms are required. It may be
argued that traditional ethical standards may not easily apply to cyber-
research due to the various public and private communication options which the
world-wide web offers. While the Internet may offer many exciting
research opportunities, I believe a strict formal code of ethics needs to be
applied when using cyberspace technology for research with human subjects. Specifically, I believe there should be clear
guidelines which outline the potential benefits of online research and the
potential costs to the human subjects. I
also believe that the human participants should be respected and have the right
to voluntarily withdraw from any research study after being properly educated
about the merits of the research and what may be involved.
Whiteman, E. (2007). “Just chatting”: Research ethics and cyberspace. International
Journal of
Qualitative Methods, 6(2) 2-9. Retrieved from http://www.alberta.ca/~iiqm/backissues.
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