'Grey Areas': Ethical Challenges Posed by Social Media-Enabled Recruitment and Online Data Collection in Cross-Border, Social Science Research

Autor/inn/en	Bamdad, Sara; Finaughty, Devin A.; Johns, Sarah E.
Titel	'Grey Areas': Ethical Challenges Posed by Social Media-Enabled Recruitment and Online Data Collection in Cross-Border, Social Science Research
Quelle	In: Research Ethics, 18 (2022) 1, S.24-38 (15 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Johns, Sarah E.)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1747-0161
DOI	10.1177/17470161211045557
Schlagwörter	Ethics; Social Science Research; Social Media; Recruitment; Data Collection; Developing Nations; Developed Nations; Foreign Countries; South Africa; United Kingdom + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ethik; Social scientific research; Sozialwissenschaftliche Forschung; Soziale Medien; Recruiting; Rekrutierung; Data capture; Datensammlung; Developing country; Developing countries; Entwicklungsland; Developed countries; Industriestaat; Industrieland; Ausland; Südafrika; Süd-Afrika; Republik Südafrika; Südafrikanische Republik; Großbritannien
Abstract	Are social science, cross-border research projects, where recruitment and data collection are carried out remotely (e.g. through social media and online platforms), required to follow similar ethical and data-sharing procedures as 'on-the-ground' studies that use traditional means of recruitment and participant engagement? This article reflects on our experience of dealing with this question when we (multi-national but UK based researchers) had to switch to online data collection due to the restrictions posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the inability to travel or work in person with local communities and collaborators. Using social media platforms and online data collection when conducting research brings many advantages, such as being able to communicate remotely but directly with gatekeepers and collaborators, and in reaching potential participants on a global scale. However, neither the guidelines and advice for conducting ethically sound internet-based research, nor the academic literature focussed on building equitable research partnerships between the Global North and the Global South, offer much information regarding the ethical concerns, or address the grey areas, posed by this type of digital and distanced transnational research. In our experience, conducting research remotely made negotiations of access very challenging due to the politics of positionality between Global North and South researchers, lack of clarity on ethical processes and (mis)perceptions of gatekeepers who we could not meet in person. We hope the reflections on, and discussion of, our experience encourage deliberation on the present ethical challenges posed by online and social-media-disseminated data collection, particularly in cross-border circumstances. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2022/4/11