Internet Research and Ethical Decision Making

Editable Websites

Editable websites, such as Wikipedia, provide a profusion of information on a plethora of topics. Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia, designed the research platform to provide easy access to information concerning a variety of subjects. At the beginning, Wikipedia was edited by professionals to ensure the accuracy of information uploaded by Internet users, yet the volume of changes made it impossible for Wikipedia staff to serve as gatekeepers to ensure accurate information posted. Permitting any Internet user to edit information on a website allows for the publication of discredited information and thus, makes the source a questionable research source. Wikipedia’s open access to editing raises an important question as to the identity of those posting information. As a researcher, one must make ethical decisions concerning what information to extract from the Internet. Such a decision begins with understanding the authors’ credentials and true identity.

Blogging

Online blogging serves an important utility by understanding the perceptions of an audience that has a presumed level of familiarity with the topic explored. For instance, an individual might want to research the impact of same-sex relationships on social acceptance in grade school. Online blogs provide a researcher with perceptions from a community as well as generate ideas, yet the identity of the bloggers [Page 788]may not align with the profile information provided. Concerning the same research topic, a blogger claiming to be a professor of queer studies may or may not have the necessary education credentials needed to be a viable source of information. As blogging can help identify a wide audience’s perception toward a particular research topic, an ethical researcher must consider that he or she will not know the exact identity of the individuals in question. Social media websites such as Twitter and Instagram have sought to address identity masking by having prominent public figures include an icon next to the username verifying the actual account. Blogging can be a helpful source to determine popular opinion, yet ethical researchers must understand the author’s credentials prior extracting information. Once the author’s credentials are identified, an ethical researcher should determine the data collection method used by the researcher and potential barriers.

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