University of Tasmania, Australia

This seminar will review current developments in internet research, with a focus on bringing ethical review together with the new research possibilities raised by the internet.

More specifically the session will explore the ethical issues associated with research into and via social media including: Recruitment; Privacy/Anonymity/Confidentiality; Consent (especially age verification and documentation); Data Sharing/Data Storage, and;  Terms of Service / End-User Licence Agreements.

The Internet supports research in 2 quite different ways: as a tool: for finding & accessing people and material; and as a location for meeting & interacting with people & groups. But this distinction is not so clear once we start using social media, because users no longer fit neatly into categories and tools are increasingly being built into social networking sites. The line between tool and location is blurring …

Drawing on the underpinning values of the National Statement- research merit and integrity, justice, respect and beneficence- the seminar will explore how such values are affected and how they can best be preserved when engaging in internet based research.

The seminar will be delivered by Professor Paula Swatman, Chair of the Social Sciences Human Research Ethics Committee.

This session is open to all UTAS staff and students as well as interested persons from the community, business, industry and government sectors.