research-article

Understanding academic attitudes towards the ethical challenges posed by social media research

Authors:

Chris James Carter,

Ramona Statache,

Svenja Adolphs,

Claire O'Malley,

Derek McAuleyAuthors Info & Claims

ACM SIGCAS Computers and Society, Volume 45, Issue 3

Pages 202 - 210

https://doi.org/10.1145/2874239.2874268

Published: 05 January 2016 Publication History

Abstract

In this paper, we outline an online survey-based study seeking to understand academic attitudes towards social media research ethics (SMRE). As the exploratory phase of a wider research project, findings are discussed in relation to the responses of 30 participants, spanning multiple faculties and locations at one international university. The paper presents an empirical measure of attitudes towards social media research ethics, reflecting core issues outlined throughout the nascent Internet-mediated research (IMR) literature, in addition to survey questions relating to familiarity with SMRE guidance, and experience of reviewing SMRE proposals from students and/or as part of the university's research ethics committees (RECs). Findings indicate notable variance in academic attitudes towards the ethical challenges of social media research, reflecting the complexity of decision-making within this context and further emphasising the need to understand influencing factors. Future directions are discussed in relation to the tentative findings presented by the current study.

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Cited By

Fiesler CZimmer MProferes NGilbert SJones N(2024)Remember the Human: A Systematic Review of Ethical Considerations in Reddit ResearchProceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction10.1145/36330708:GROUP(1-33)Online publication date: 16-Feb-2024
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Kasstan JPearson G(2024)Ethical committee frameworks and processes used to evaluate humanities research require reform: Findings from a UK-wide network consultationAccountability in Research10.1080/08989621.2024.2382736(1-20)Online publication date: 28-Jul-2024
https://doi.org/10.1080/08989621.2024.2382736
Vaughan A(2023)Principle versus practice: the Institutionalisation of ethics and research on the far rightInternational Journal of Social Research Methodology10.1080/13645579.2023.2282228(1-15)Online publication date: 16-Nov-2023
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Index Terms

Understanding academic attitudes towards the ethical challenges posed by social media research
1. Social and professional topics
  1. Computing / technology policy

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Published In

cover image ACM SIGCAS Computers and Society

ACM SIGCAS Computers and Society Volume 45, Issue 3

Special Issue on Ethicomp

September 2015

446 pages

ISSN:0095-2737

DOI:10.1145/2874239

Issue’s Table of Contents

Copyright © 2016 Copyright is held by the owner/author(s).

Permission to make digital or hard copies of part or all of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for third-party components of this work must be honored. For all other uses, contact the Owner/Author.

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Association for Computing Machinery

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Published: 05 January 2016

Published in SIGCAS Volume 45, Issue 3

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Cited By

Fiesler CZimmer MProferes NGilbert SJones N(2024)Remember the Human: A Systematic Review of Ethical Considerations in Reddit ResearchProceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction10.1145/36330708:GROUP(1-33)Online publication date: 16-Feb-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3633070
Kasstan JPearson G(2024)Ethical committee frameworks and processes used to evaluate humanities research require reform: Findings from a UK-wide network consultationAccountability in Research10.1080/08989621.2024.2382736(1-20)Online publication date: 28-Jul-2024
https://doi.org/10.1080/08989621.2024.2382736
Vaughan A(2023)Principle versus practice: the Institutionalisation of ethics and research on the far rightInternational Journal of Social Research Methodology10.1080/13645579.2023.2282228(1-15)Online publication date: 16-Nov-2023
https://doi.org/10.1080/13645579.2023.2282228
Kelly GMcAdam M(2022)Women Entrepreneurs Negotiating Identities in Liminal Digital SpacesEntrepreneurship Theory and Practice10.1177/1042258722111536347:5(1942-1970)Online publication date: 15-Jul-2022
https://doi.org/10.1177/10422587221115363
Prato LAbley CAdamson J(2021)Exploring online identity construction for the caregivers of adults living with dementia and the value of interactions with health and social care professionalsHealth & Social Care in the Community10.1111/hsc.13403Online publication date: 24-Apr-2021
https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.13403
Al Zou’bi HKhatatbeh MAlzoubi KKhabour OAl-Delaimy W(2020)Attitudes and Knowledge of Adolescents in Jordan Regarding the Ethics of Social Media Data Use for Research PurposesJournal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics10.1177/155626462090139015:1-2(87-96)Online publication date: 23-Jan-2020
https://doi.org/10.1177/1556264620901390
Samuel GBuchanan E(2020)Guest Editorial: Ethical Issues in Social Media ResearchJournal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics10.1177/155626461990121515:1-2(3-11)Online publication date: 20-Jan-2020
https://doi.org/10.1177/1556264619901215
Hokke SHackworth NBennetts SNicholson JKeyzer PLucke JZion LCrawford S(2019)Ethical Considerations in Using Social Media to Engage Research Participants: Perspectives of Australian Researchers and Ethics Committee MembersJournal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics10.1177/155626461985462915:1-2(12-27)Online publication date: 14-Jun-2019
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Sellers CSamuel GDerrick G(2019)Reasoning “Uncharted Territory”: Notions of Expertise Within Ethics Review Panels Assessing Research Use of Social MediaJournal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics10.1177/155626461983708815:1-2(28-39)Online publication date: 12-Dec-2019
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Hennell KLimmer MPiacentini M(2019)Ethical Dilemmas Using Social Media in Qualitative Social Research: A Case Study of Online Participant ObservationSociological Research Online10.1177/136078041988893325:3(473-489)Online publication date: 28-Nov-2019
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