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Ethical issues of online communication research

Published: 18 November 2002 Publication History

Abstract

The paper addresses several ethical issues in online communication research in light of digital ontology as well as the epistemological questions raised by the blurring boundary between fact and theory in this field. The concept of ontology is used in a Heideggerian sense as related to the human capacity of world construction on the basis of the givenness of our being-in-the-world. Ethical dilemmas of Internet research thus arise from the tension between bodily existence and the proper object of research, i.e., online existence. The following issues are being considered: online identity, online language, online consent and confidentiality. We also argue that research ethics in the US follows the utilitarian tradition, while European researchers are deontologically oriented. A guideline of best practice in online research ethics is proposed.

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  • (2021)Scoping the ethical principles of cybersecurity fear appealsEthics and Information Technology10.1007/s10676-020-09560-023:3(265-284)Online publication date: 1-Sep-2021
  • (2016)Beyond the Belmont PrinciplesProceedings of the 19th ACM Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work & Social Computing10.1145/2818048.2820078(941-953)Online publication date: 27-Feb-2016
  • (2016)A persuasive-based latent class segmentation analysis of luxury brand websitesElectronic Commerce Research10.1007/s10660-016-9212-016:3(401-424)Online publication date: 1-Sep-2016

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    Published In

    cover image Ethics and Information Technology
    Ethics and Information Technology  Volume 4, Issue 3
    2002
    90 pages

    Publisher

    Kluwer Academic Publishers

    United States

    Publication History

    Published: 18 November 2002

    Author Tags

    1. Heidegger
    2. confidentiality
    3. consent
    4. digital ontology
    5. epistemology
    6. ethics
    7. ethics of care
    8. identity
    9. language
    10. online communication research

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    View all
    • (2021)Scoping the ethical principles of cybersecurity fear appealsEthics and Information Technology10.1007/s10676-020-09560-023:3(265-284)Online publication date: 1-Sep-2021
    • (2016)Beyond the Belmont PrinciplesProceedings of the 19th ACM Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work & Social Computing10.1145/2818048.2820078(941-953)Online publication date: 27-Feb-2016
    • (2016)A persuasive-based latent class segmentation analysis of luxury brand websitesElectronic Commerce Research10.1007/s10660-016-9212-016:3(401-424)Online publication date: 1-Sep-2016

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