ethics and research? (1 Viewer)

[apologue]

Hi, crazy kids. I have a primary research related question.

My PIP is about a ridiculously specific online practice. Many of the relevant blog posts were public and visible to everyone, but are now only visible to those the owner knows. This varies from 100 to nearly 2000 people. I have access to them. I also have the permission of the blog owners to use the contents in my PIP.

But what I actually want to use are the comments. The writers wrote the comments knowing that the post was (and believed it would stay) public. The commenters are all anonymous, so I can't track them down to get permission.

Is it okay to use the comments?

Thanks, guys!

 

[iamsickofyear12]

Is it okay to use the comments?

Yes

 

[noir.]

Hi, crazy kids. I have a primary research related question.

My PIP is about a ridiculously specific online practice. Many of the relevant blog posts were public and visible to everyone, but are now only visible to those the owner knows. This varies from 100 to nearly 2000 people. I have access to them. I also have the permission of the blog owners to use the contents in my PIP.

But what I actually want to use are the comments. The writers wrote the comments knowing that the post was (and believed it would stay) public. The commenters are all anonymous, so I can't track them down to get permission.

Is it okay to use the comments?

Thanks, guys!

No. When conducting primary research, you must obtain permission from the person you are quoting, whether it is to use their name and so on.
How are you going to use their comments when you do not know who they are?

If you are looking at user comments as a whole, then yes, it ok for you to use those comments & make a general comment on them as a whole. This would then be regarded as secondary research.