Research Ethics

The National Research Ethics Committees have issued a separate guideline for internet research. This provides valuable guidelines for the ethical considerations researchers should undertake when dealing with data from the web archive.

Below are some concepts which researchers should pay particular attention to.

Expected Publicity

The National Committee for Research Ethics in Social Sciences and Humanities (NESH) places particular emphasis on the concept of expected publicity. 

Even though much content on the web is technically open and accessible, it does not necessarily mean that the person who published the information was aware of this. Discussion forums and blogs are examples of online spheres where the content publisher may have expected a small, almost private readership. 

There is, therefore, a significant difference in how researchers should handle this material compared to content produced by public entities and media houses. 

The concept of expected publicity is further described in the “A Guide to Internet Research Ethics”, as well as in Elgesem 2015, 14-34.

Sensitivity of Information and Vulnerability of the Participants

NESH’s guideline emphasizes that the researcher must assess the sensitivity of the information. This applies to both the vulnerability of those involved and the interaction and consequences of the research. 

A particular example is the protection of children and young people, partly because some of their online activities have been beyond adult control. 

Intellectual Property

Even if content have been published openly, it does not imply that you can share it freely. Information on the web, such as text and images, is often subject to copyright. 

Further use of information from the web archive must also comply with the Intellectual Property Rights Act.

Literature

Den nasjonale forskningsetiske komité for samfunnsvitenskap og humaniora. A guide to internet research ethics. Oslo: De Nasjonale forskningsetiske komiteer. 2019. https://urn.nb.no/URN:NBN:no-nb_pliktmonografi_000006900

Elgesem, Dag. “Consent and information – ethical considerations when conducting research on social media”. In Internet Research Ethics, Hallvard Fossheim og Helene Ingierd (eds.). Oslo: Cappelen Damm Akademisk, 2015. https://doi.org/10.17585/noasp.3.1