Ethical Challenges of Internet Research on 22/7 – Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)

The author outlines the ethical complexities of using publicly available internet data for research on the July 22 attacks, highlighting the tension between public availability and the perceived privacy of emotional utterances. Key concerns include the inability to verify the age of users, the risk of 'double victimization' of victims through media exposure, and the migration of private Facebook data into the public realm. The author advocates for a case-by-case ethical evaluation of data sensitivity and privacy to balance methodological rigor with the integrity of research subjects.

• Internet research faces a fundamental conflict regarding the definition of public versus private space, as users may assume privacy in online environments where it is not guaranteed, and the use of screen names makes it impossible to ensure participants are not minors.
• Research specifically concerning the July 22 attacks is heightened by the immediacy and emotional nature of the data, as users may have shared private emotions in shock without realizing the public nature of their utterances or how their words could be quoted, particularly on platforms like Twitter and Facebook.
• Researchers have a duty to determine if utterances made during extreme situations should be reproduced and whether victims should be excluded from research to prevent 'double victimization' caused by media exposure.

APA

Kaufmann, M. (2013). Ethical Challenges of Internet Research on 22/7 – Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO). Peace Research Institute Oslo. https://www.prio.org/comments/523

Chicago

Kaufmann, Mareile. Ethical Challenges of Internet Research on 22/7 – Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO). Peace Research Institute Oslo, 2013. https://www.prio.org/comments/523.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Kaufmann |first1=Mareile |title=Ethical Challenges of Internet Research on 22/7 – Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) |publisher=Peace Research Institute Oslo |date=25 June 2013 |url=https://www.prio.org/comments/523 |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{kaufmann2013ethical, author = {Kaufmann, Mareile}, title = {{Ethical Challenges of Internet Research on 22/7 – Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)}}, publisher = {Peace Research Institute Oslo}, year = {2013}, month = jun, url = {https://www.prio.org/comments/523}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }