Researching Language and Social Media

“You don't look like your profile picture”: the ethical implications of researching online identities in higher education

“…Despite what these images may suggest, students from these groups remain underrepresented and disenfranchised in the US (Tienda, 2013). Page, Barton, Unger, and Zappavigna (2014) highlight the inadequacies of prescriptive approaches to ethical research practice. Page et al suggest that harm to participants can come in serious and often unexpected ways, when conducting online research.…”

The ethics of researching unlikeable subjects

“…Analyzing the data and publishing the results is definitely beyond the level of intrusion by other internet users and of course complicates this matter further. However, my argument here is that identification of individuals is made more unlikely by our focus on the microanalysis of clausal structure and narrative moves, rather than, for example, the more holistic study of selected individuals' behaviour; in other words, we are interested in the PUA texts, rather than the people, a point also made by Page et al (2014). While it is inarguable that there are elements other than names in the textual material that may lead to the identification of participants, e. g. situational cues or recognisable identities (Cherny 1999), the risk remains low in our case.…”

Untitled

“…Hale & Scanlon, 1999, p. 9). Furthermore, Page, Barton, Unger, and Zappavigna (2014) asserted that in SM context, "language should include image, sound, and kinetic resources found typically in digital interaction" (p. 27). They held that "meaning can be conveyed in spoken, written or signed forms or a combination of these" (p. 27).…”

“…Hence, the appellation electronic morphology (e-morphology) refers to the methods of word formation on these platforms. Page, Barton, Unger, and Zappavigna (2014) defined social media (hereafter SM) as "Internet-based sites and services that promote social interaction between participants" (p. 5). KhosraviNik (2018, p. 586) used the expression "digitally facilitated spaces" while Barton and Lee (2013) employed the phrase "textually mediated online spaces" to refer to SM, for example, blogs, discussion forums, electronic mail (henceforth e-mail), Facebook (here-in-after FBK), and Yahoo Messenger (henceforward YM).…”