The issue of privacy in qualitative research is more than just informed consent. The author breaks it down into public and private as a continuum but also states “it depends” on the research being conducted.
Public and Private as a Continuum, Not a Dichotomy
There are different variations of public and private online.
- PUBLIC ENVIRONMENT- requires no registration, available for everyone (open chat rooms)
- SEMI-PUBLIC- available for most people. It requires membership and registration.
- SEMI-PRIVATE- only available to some people or organization. Has formal requirements for registration.
- PRIVATE- creator of content invites guests. Sender of content specifies who is allowed to see it.
Elm goes on to examine whether or not the Internet is public or private and comes to the conclusion: public and private is a perception, not a fact. And although someone posts information online, it does not guarantee that they want a researcher to use that information.
Researchers need to think about how easily information is accessed through particular sites as well as the user’s understanding of their information as private or public. Since information posted online could be considered sensitive or not sensitive. There are different degrees of privacy within the Internet along with how the user views his/her privacy.
Questions:
- Can a researcher truly be sensitive to privacy information on the Internet and using ethics when what is considered private differs based on the individual? What determines if information is sensitive if posted online?
- Should a creator of content online be notified if a researcher decides to use information?
- Who is considered a public or private person on the Internet? Is it easier to violate someone’s privacy online?
- What role does audience play online in regards to Privacy? Should information be used if the user did not expect a researcher to be the actual audience?
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