Interestingly though there is a section on Internet Research. I post this here becasue a few things I read really make me question how legit some of these surveys/research type postings are.
Quote:
One of the most controversial issues regarding Internet research involves the observation of online communications. Part of the attraction of the Internet is that researchers can get verbatim transcripts of interactions without announcing their presence. For example, a researcher could study process and content differences between moderated and un-moderated support groups by observing open groups.
There is currently no consensus in the research community about whether online communications in open forums constitute private or public behavior. Conclusions about whether they are public or private behavior will affect if and how the regulations are applied.
One view is that the act of posting to an open site, accessible to millions, constitutes public behavior and may be observed and recorded without consent. According to this view, if no identifiers are recorded, such observations may not even meet the definition of research with human subjects. An opposing view is that, in spite of the accessibility of their communications, people participating in some of these groups make certain assumptions about privacy, and that investigators should honor those assumptions. If one subscribes to this second view, either consent would be required or it would have to be waived in accordance with the regulations.
There is currently no consensus in the research community about whether online communications in open forums constitute private or public behavior. Conclusions about whether they are public or private behavior will affect if and how the regulations are applied.
One view is that the act of posting to an open site, accessible to millions, constitutes public behavior and may be observed and recorded without consent. According to this view, if no identifiers are recorded, such observations may not even meet the definition of research with human subjects. An opposing view is that, in spite of the accessibility of their communications, people participating in some of these groups make certain assumptions about privacy, and that investigators should honor those assumptions. If one subscribes to this second view, either consent would be required or it would have to be waived in accordance with the regulations.
So in theory if I understand this, our forum postings could actually be used as research without our consent.
Quote:
The process for obtaining consent online usually includes a written statement of the basic elements of consent followed by a statement such as, “Clicking below indicates that I have read and understood the description of the study and I agree to participate.†Studies in the social and behavioral sciences often involve no more than minimal risk to subjects and may meet the criteria for waivers of documentation of the consent process. In such instances, the click may be thought of as the virtual equivalent of deciding to complete and return a mailed survey, a procedure for which the requirement for documentation of consent is often waived. An electronic version of the documentation process can be designed that includes an e-mail link to the investigator who receives a confirmation from the potential subject that he or she wishes to be in the study. The acceptance of this process would be predicated upon ideas about the validity of electronic “signatures.â€
I know the last one I filled out did not have this.
Quote:
People under the age of 18 cannot legally consent to participate in a research study. Unfortunately, researchers recruiting from the general population via the Internet cannot know whether respondents are 10 or 100. Admonishing subjects that they must be 18 years of age to participate does not guarantee compliance.
At present there are no reliable methods for determining the age of Internet users. At one time, the possession of a credit card was a determiner of adult status, but this is no longer true.
One possible response to the problem of identifying minors online is to limit general recruitment to research for which parental permission can be waived in accordance with the Common Rule.
I'm sure everyone here is 18 ...
Quote:
IRBs and investigators must contend with applying the ethical principle of respect for persons in an environment where the meanings of identity and privacy are shifting. Identifiers in the Internet environment include more than just standard demographics.
Protecting subjects’ privacy, as well as the confidentiality of their responses, requires considering ways people identify themselves when using the Internet.
Should individuals’ Internet identities, often very different than their “real†identities, be afforded the same protections as their identities off the Internet? Consider a case where a researcher wants to mention someone by (online pseudonymous) name in an article. Would using that name violate the privacy of the pseudonymous identity?
Now, consider a case where a researcher wants to use a quote obtained during a web-based communication. Merely supplying a pseudonym for the author might not be sufficient to ensure anonymity. Someone could, for example, enter the quote into a search engine and possibly find out the identity of the author.
A bit boring, but still interesting. Makes you wonder if the people who post the surveys etc actually follow all the steps. IF not then the "research" isn't technically credible, and if they aren't taking the steps because it isn't research then whats really being done with the data?
a bit tinfoil hatish still interesting..
ooh one last interesting one ...
Quote:
Voluntary participation in research includes the right to withdraw from a study at any time and the right to choose not to answer questions. On-line surveys that force subjects to answer one question before going to the next violate the requirement that all participation in research be voluntary
Edited, Nov 30th 2006 11:13am by TseTsuo
